My Hero Academia: Hailstorm
by Masked Spider
Summary: Clay Cero never really thought about becoming a hero. That is until an incident forces both him and his friend, Slade, out of the country for nearly two years. Now they're back with one goal, attend UA Academy. Come along for the ride as Clay and Slade take on tests, villains, and crazy classmates in their journey to become heroes. (Rated M mostly for blood here and there).
1. Quirks Aren't Everything

**My Hero Academia: Hailstorm**

 **Disclaimer: My Hero Academia and all other references belong to their respective owners. I only own my OCs.**

 **Quirks Aren't Everything**

Someone once asked me 'how does a hero's story usually begin?' Well I'm no expert, but what I've come to believe is it's not so much a matter of 'how' but more like 'when'. Let me explain that a bit, you see a hero's story usually starts 'when' they make a fateful decision to do the right thing, even despite the odds. Now of course this decision is just the start.

For a hero to become a full-fledged hero, they must continue to persevere through one challenge after another, always striving to do the right thing. It's a lesson that, thought simple, took me a good bit of time to really learn. But who am I? The name's Clay Cero, and this is the story of how I met and fought alongside some incredible heroes.

Japan

Wo boy, thought Clay as he sidestepped a person with a body similar to a porcupine, not the greatest quirk to have for moving through these crowded streets. It's amazing, thought Clay as he stopped at a crosswalk, waiting for the signal with several other people, not even a couple of decades ago people would've been freaking out if someone walked down the streets with spines sticking out of them, but now, thanks to eighty percent of the world's population possessing some sort of super power, special ability, or unique feature which everyone referred to as a 'Quirk', it was more common to look like a human porcupine than just a plain old human.

Not that he was complaining, in fact he found it pretty cool most days, how daily life had become like scenes out of a comic book. As if on cue, a loud crashing sound could be heard in the distance, attracting Clay's attention as he saw a cloud of dust kicked up by falling debris. The villains are getting started a little early this morning, Clay mused as the light to cross the street turned green.

Yep, all part of daily life, he thought again as he crossed the street and continued to weave his way through the crowd. Clay adjusted the gray hoodie wrapped around his waist as he walked, happy to be out of his school uniform and in his more comfortable outfit, which also included jeans, a short sleeved, anime-themed shirt, and some nice running shoes. The weather was just too hot for the hoodie during the day, but Clay brought it along anyway, in case he wound up out after dark or in the rain.

Turning one corner, then the next, he proceeded towards his destination. Another crash sounded as Clay looked again in the direction of the latest villain attack. "This might be a problem," Clay thought aloud as he noticed that he was actually getting closer to the area where all the debris was getting kicked up, "Guess I'd better call Slade and tell 'em-."

"Come on guys, I'm gonna miss it," said a panicked voice. What the heck, thought Clay as he glanced towards the source of the voice. At the entrance to a nearby middle school, a boy with messy black hair with green highlights wearing a black school uniform was being cornered by two other students, one with messy dark hair and the other with shoulder length brown hair.

"Oh is little Deku gonna cry," said the long haired bully as two of the fingers on his hand extended, "Too bad you don't have super speed or a high jumping quirk." "Or wings," said the other bully, "But then again, even having chicken wings would be a step up for you."

Are they seriously trying to stop this kid from leaving the school, thought Clay as he overheard more of the conversation, his fist clenching a little as the bullies continued to tease the boy known as Deku. Well I've got a minute before the big guy gets here, thought Clay as he finally made up his mind and began advancing towards the three individuals. What would Uncle call this little scenario, he wondered, oh yeah, social justice.

As the two bullies continued to berate the boy known as Deku, they didn't notice Clay's approach until he was right behind them. "It's too bad Kacchan's not here," said the messy-haired bully, "I almost feel bad he won't get a crack at this quirkless-OOOOFFF!"

The bully was taken by surprise as Clay 'bumped' into him, shoving him off balance with his elbow into the bully with extendable fingers. "Whoops, sorry 'bout that," said Clay innocently as he held up his hands, purposely placing himself between Deku and the bullies, "I was looking in the direction of that villain attack."

"What so you can't even watch where you're going," seethed the short-haired bully. "Hey it looked like a cool fight, even from this distance," replied Clay with a shrug.

"Oh great, another hero worshipping nerd," said the long-haired bully. "Betcha he's quirkless too," added the other bully.

"What's it matter whether or not I have a quirk," asked Clay as he crossed his arms. "What you serious," asked the short-haired bully as he grew a pair of large, red wings out of his back, while the other bully extended his fingers to an even longer degree, "Quirks are everything these days, the bigger and flashier the quirk the better!"

"Not the way I understand it," responded Clay, "Some of the most dangerous quirks I know of aren't terribly flashy at all, but since you seem to think just having quirks make you oh so special how about this, I take one or both of you on, without using my own quirk."

"He-hey," stuttered Deku, finally mustering up the courage to speak, "I-it's fine, really, I-I can just wait 'til the next villain s-shows up." "I appreciate the concern," said Clay, glancing back as he adjusted his stance and raised his fists, "But it's a bit late to back out now." "Oh this is so not good," said Deku as the winged bully charged at Clay.

"Let's see how you like thi-AAArgh!" The flying bully was cut off as Clay ducked under his hands and uppercuted him square in the nose, causing him to reel back as Clay grabs a hold of his right wing with both hands and pivots his body, yanking the bully to the side and off balance.

Sticking his leg out, Clay manages to pull the bully over his hip as he falls to the ground. The winged bully makes an attempt to get back up, only to receive a knee to his face for his trouble. "Not used to someone who can fight back are you," said Clay as he steps over the first bully, who was holding his aching nose, and advances on the second.

"Why you-!" the second bully nervously exclaims as he extends his fingers on both hands and starts swiping at Clay. But the bully's swings are amateurish, and Clay's able to avoid the first few swipes as he manages to catch the long-fingered bully's left arm before elbowing him in the face. As the bully reels back, clutching his face in pain, Clay seizes both of his wrists and forces them to either side to keep the bully from swinging at him.

"You really," said Clay as he kicked the bully in the side, "Don't-Get-It." Clay punctuated each word with another kick to the bully's side before falling back onto the ground, dragging the bully with him before he kicked him off and onto his winged compatriot.

"Just having a quirk doesn't make you any better than anyone else," said Clay as he stood up and dusted himself off, "You gotta learn how to use what you got, otherwise you're just flailing about."

"W-where did you l-learn how to do that?" questioned Deku. "I've been studying self-defense off and on since I was eleven," replied Clay, "Oh and watching a lot of Eraser Head's moves." "You know about Eraser Head," asked Deku. "Well," Clay was about to answer until the two bullies managed to get back to their feet.

"Hey we're not done here," said the winged bully. "Actually I think we are," said Clay as he looked up at a sudden shadow which came looming over the bullies. "That was just round one," said the long-fingered bully, "This time we'll-Gaaaah." Both bullies were knocked in the head by the newcomer's fists, causing them to fall over as the slightly larger figure stepped over their now prone forms.

"Clay if we're gonna get to the comic shop at all today, then we need to get going," said a taller, bald-headed individual wearing a sleeveless white shirt, black pants, and boots. "Hey Slade," said Clay as his friend approached, "I was actually gonna stop by where that villain is tearing up for a quick look if it's still goin' on."

"Really, what for," asked Slade. "This kid here wants to see it," replied Clay as he indicated Deku, "I figured we could tag along." "Y-you don't have t-to do t-that," stuttered Deku, "I mean, I-I don't want t-to be any t-trouble."

"No trouble at all," said Clay, "The comic shops in about that direction anyway, right Slade." "Close enough," replied Slade neutrally as he started walking. "Guess that settles it then, off we go," said Clay as he began walking as well. After another moment, Deku reluctantly followed after them.

"What's your name anyway," Slade asked Deku after a few moments of walking. "W-who me," said Deku, "Oh I-I'm Izuku, I-Izuku Midoriya." "Why were those jerks back there calling you Deku," questioned Clay.

"Kacchan calls me that," answered Midoriya somberly, "When him and his friends make fun of me." "How long has this mess been goin' on," asked Slade? "They didn't use to be like this," said Midoriya, "Kacchan and I used to be good friends."

"What changed if you don't mind my asking," inquired Clay. "Well Kacchan got his explosion quirk, and I found out I was quirkless," replied Midoriya in almost a whisper, "After that, Kacchan changed."

"They pick on you because you're quirkless," questioned Slade as they arrived at the back of a large crowd who'd gathered to watch some of the local heroes take on the latest villain, a guy with a quirk that allowed him to become a giant lizard-like monster of all things, "That's more than a little short-sighted."

"Well I'm also kind of a, OH MY GOSH IT'S HIM!" Midoriya suddenly exclaimed as they pushed to the front of the crowd as a new hero came falling from the sky. Clay wondered what Midoriya was talking about until he heard a joyous bellowing laugh that could only belong to one person.

"Everything will be alright now!" Shouted the hero, a very tall, muscular man with blond hair which sported two antennae-like protrusions on the top of his head, wearing a red and blue hero costume, "Because I am here!" "It's ALL MIGHT!" shouted Midoriya with the rest of the crowd.

"I guess he was about to say he's a nerd," whispered Slade. "We're nerds too remember," Clay pointed out as they watched All Might giving the villain one chance to turn himself in peacefully. But the villain simply snarled, either too far gone or just too stupid to listen as he charged at the hero, fangs and claws bared. "Here it comes," said Midoriya as All Might wound his body up for a punch.

"Yep," said Slade as he grabbed onto Clay and Midoriya. "ST. LOUIS SMASH!" yelled All Might as he struck the villain with one massive blow to the stomach, the force of which caused a massive blast of air as the villain was sent flying backwards into a nearby building, creating a spectacular crash as dust and debris flew everywhere. Clay and Midoriya had to cover their eyes as Slade held them up against the intense air pressure created from the punch, not even flinching when a random piece of rubble glanced off of his face.

"That was amazing!" exclaimed Midoriya as he and the rest of the crowd cheered. "Ha ha ha," laughed All Might as he walked over and picked up the villain, now in human form, while flashing his usual winning smile, "You can all rest easier now with another villain off the streets, farewell brave citizens!" With that last declaration, All Might crouched down and jumped, his powerful legs allowing him to shoot through the air at incredible speeds as his form quickly disappeared from sight of the still applauding crowd.

Comic Book Shop: A Little While Later

"So that was All Might," said Clay as he, Slade, and Midoriya browsed the comic shop. "For being so popular, you'd think he'd stick around a bit longer," said Slade. "He used to be able to," replied Clay.

"Used to be," questioned Slade. Clay checked around to make sure Midoriya, and anyone else, was out of earshot before he spoke. "I overheard Uncle talking about All Might a few times when he was over, apparently he can only use his powers for a limited time each day, something about his body not being able to take the strain as much anymore," said Clay.

"I'm guessing it's supposed to be some kind of secret," said Slade as he glanced back at Midoriya, who'd managed to find an All Might poster he somehow didn't have. "A big one from what I've gathered," Replied Clay, "But I don't think it's anything for us to worry about right now."

"I hope so," said Slade as Midoriya was making his way back to where they were at. "Sorry it took so long," said Midoriya, "I was torn between a poster and a hoodie, but I had to stick within my price range in the end and get the poster."

"Hey maybe next time," said Clay as the trio exited the comic shop. "I really do appreciate you guys showing me this place," said Midoriya as they made their way down the sidewalk, "But I got to ask, why did you guys help me back there?"

"I was just helping Clay out," answered Slade, "Not the first time me and him have gotten mixed up in a little fight." "Okay, so why did you help me, and why are you still helping me?" Midoriya asked Clay.

"Well to be honest it was kind of spur of the moment," said Clay as he rubbed his chin in thought, "But if I had to pick a reason, I guess it's just what a hero would've done." "And you said you didn't use your quirk, what are your quirks anyway," asked Midoriya.

"Oh that," said Clay as he held his hand up and produced a small black cloud, "I call it storm cloud, though I can mainly alter the density of the cloud, here try to grab it," Clay held out the cloud as Midoriya tried to grab it, but was unsuccessful as his hand passed straight through it. "In its current state it's of a similar composition to a regular cloud," explained Clay as he concentrated, causing the cloud to turn even darker, "Now try to grab it."

Midoriya tried again, and this time his hand didn't pass through the cloud. "That's amazing," said Midoriya with a hint of wonder in his voice. "I can also manipulate where they go," said Clay as he made the cloud rotate and spin around his arm, "So I guess it is kind of neat in some respects."

"Too bad you ain't supposed to be using your quirk in public," Slade pointed out. "You should talk," said Clay as the cloud dissipated, "Half the time no one even knows when you're using your quirk." "What, how," questioned a surprised Midoriya.

"Well to put it simply," said Slade, "I can alter my density, observe." Slade hopped up a surprisingly high distance, then suddenly came back down at an incredible speed, cracking the sidewalk as he landed.

"You see I can alter it to where I'm incredibly light or incredibly heavy, which of course alters my weight and durability as well," explained Slade. "It also makes it impossible to guess your weight," added Clay, "Great fun at the fairs."

"That's incredible," Marveled Midoriya as he pulled out a notebook and started writing in it, "The numerous applications just for being able to shift your own density allows you all kinds of options in adjusting your movement speed, and being able to increase your weight would allow you to withstand several types of physical attacks."

Clay and Slade glanced at each other as Midoriya continued to mutter, apparently not realizing quite what he was doing. "And then the ability to produce and manipulate clouds already has incredible application for smokescreens, entrapment, projectile attacks-." "Uh, Midoriya," said Clay, "You alright there?"

"W-what," said Midoriya as he stopped muttering, "Oh, s-sorry I do that sometimes, I like to take notes on quirks." "That's cool and all," said Slade, "But if I may ask, what for?" Midoriya shifted uncomfortably before answering.

"Will you," Midoriya was almost whispering, "Promise not to laugh?" Slade and Clay exchanged another glance as Clay answered for both of them. "If we were gonna laugh at ya, believe me, we would've done it already so whatever you want to tell us, we'll take seriously," said Clay. Midoriya nodded, accepting Clay's answer as he took a deep breath.

"W-well you see," Midoriya stuttered a little at first, but as he spoke his voice became less shaky, "What I-I want more t-than anything, is to be a hero!" Clay and Slade remained silent for a moment before. "That is the most hilariously," Clay started, seeing Midoriya tense up at his words, "Awesome thing I have ever heard." Clay finished his statement with a smile while Slade gave him a thumbs up.

"You're pretty brave squirt," said Slade as he clapped him on the shoulder, causing Midoriya to cringe in pain, "Even without a quirk you still dream big, I can definitely respect that."

"Well I already said it ain't the quirk, or lack thereof, that matters," said Clay, "Uncle always told me real heroes prove themselves through their actions, so if you want to be a hero Midoriya, then be a hero."

"Y-you guys," said Midoriya as he suddenly teared up, "OH HO HO, THANK YOU!" Clay and Slade had to stand back as Midoriya's eyes produced a comically large number of tears, "You guys are the first friends I've had in a while!"

"Okay okay," said Clay when Midoriya looked like he was on the verge of hugging them, "Let's not get too mushy here." "I-I'm sorry," said Midoriya as he wiped his eyes, "It's just, besides my Mom, everyone else always put me down when I mention that I want to be a hero."

"Jeez," said Slade, "That school of his is worse than I thought." "Guess there's only one thing to do about that," remarked Clay as he noticed the time on his watch, "Midoriya."

"W-what is it," asked Midoriya. "We got to head out for today, but should you ever need us, just give us a call," Said Clay as he handed Midoriya his contact information, "With any luck we'll be right around the corner." Midoriya nodded as Clay and Slade turned and headed back towards their neighborhood.

"I thought you weren't all that interested in becoming a hero," said Slade as they got out of earshot of Midoriya. "I'm not," replied Clay, "But that doesn't mean I can't help someone out every once in a while." "That's too bad," said Slade, "You and I might make some decent ones."

"Hey if you want to be a hero too, go right ahead," said Clay, "I just doubt that I'm hero material." "Well tell you what," said Slade as he stopped Clay and held out his hand, "Let's make a deal, that if you ever do decide to become a hero, then I'll become one right along with you."

Clay thought for a moment before answering. "Why not," answered Clay as he shook Slade's hand, "We've always worked well as a team, so how 'bout this, if either one of us wants to be a hero then we both try to become heroes." "Here here," said Slade as they shook hands.

Oh, something I forgot to mention about this little story. This is the story about how I became a hero, and how I met and fought alongside the guy who would become the greatest hero in the world.

 **And here it is, chapter one of my very first My Hero Academia fan fiction. Now first and foremost I'd like to say this, I know it's a slow start but I promise the story will really pick up in the next few chapters. Also, this being my first one of these fics, my writing may be a little shaky at first, but I will try my best to improve it as the story goes on. And finally, I'd like to say thank you in advance to any reviewers, followers, or viewers who are willing to take their time to read this story. So be sure to come on by next time as Clay and Slade face a desperate situation which will change their lives forever. 'Til next time.**


	2. The Flames of Departure

**The Flames of Departure**

Every hero story seems to have that faithful day with a turning point for the protagonists. For us, it was a few months after we'd met our new friend, Midoriya. If fate had been a little kinder we might have even been around long enough for the faithful day which would change his life forever. But unfortunately, Slade and I's faithful day came almost two years before that, and it was far messier than his.

Nearby Japanese Harbor: A Year and a half before series start

How the # # did we get here, questioned Clay as he and Slade ran down the catwalk on the upper levels of a massive oil tanker. It was supposed to be a simple short cut through the docks and now. The ship shook as another explosion ripped through it, nearly knocking Clay and Slade off balance as they continued towards what looked like an exit. Now we're running for our lives on a floating oil tanker full of villains, thought Clay.

As they were about to the exit, a man with the head of a lion suddenly landed on the catwalk in front of them. Clay and Slade came to a stop as a grasshopper-like lady landed behind them, her pure black eyes filled with malice as they both advanced. Great, the villain elites of this # # show, thought Clay as he used his quirk to form clouds around his hands and feet while Slade took a fighting stance facing the lion villain.

The two friends stood back to back as both villains charged at them. Slade quickly increased his density as he ran towards the lion villain, while Clay sent out two small clouds from his hands. The grasshopper girl quickly hopped out of the way of the two clouds, nimbly moving from side to side as Clay directed the clouds at her again and again. In no time at all, the grasshopper quirk girl closed the gap between them. She's a lot quicker than the others, thought Clay as he ducked a kick aimed at his head, then blocked a couple of punches with his cloud covered arms before lashing out with a sweeping kick aimed at the villain's legs.

The grasshopper girl easily jumped over Clay's attempted attack as she kicked off the railing and barreled into Clay, pinning him to the catwalk floor. Clay struggled to hold her at arms-length as she snapped at his face with her mandible-like protrusions. Try this trick, thought Clay as he quickly increased the volume of cloud vapor around his feet.

The villain screeched in surprise as her stomach was suddenly engulfed by Clay's cloud as he sent her flying off of him and into a nearby pipe up above. He heard a crunch as the grasshopper themed villain slammed into the pipe before falling back towards Clay, who quickly shot out another cloud which knocked her away from the catwalk and into the wreckage of the ship below. A roar sounded shortly after as the lion villain was also sent flying off of the catwalk by a well-placed punch from Slade.

"You okay over there," asked Clay between ragged breaths as he noticed Slade tearing off what little remained of his clawed up shirt. "I just got my favorite shirt ruined," breathed Slade, "Other than that, I'm good." Another explosion sounded beneath them as the massive ship actually began leaning to the side, making it a little more difficult to stand on the railing.

"Well if you want a new one we'd best get out that door," remarked Clay as they continued towards the entrance, with Slade taking the lead as he increased his density, each step heavier than the one before until he finally jumped towards the large steel door, his weight bending the floor beneath him as he slammed into the final obstacle between them and the outside. His increased density allowed him to impact against the door with the force of a charging elephant as it buckled inward, accompanied by a satisfying scraping noise as the door went the rest of the way off of its hinges.

The two of them rushed out of the new opening onto the upper deck of the ship. "That # ##$ lunatic," remarked Clay as they took in the scene before them, "Didn't even think twice before he lit the fuse on this place." The upper decks, as it turned out, were just as chaotic as the decks below as several fires were raging on the top of the deck as another couple of explosions blew out the sides of the oil tanker right next to where they were standing.

"Not good," said Slade as he and Clay were forced to back up from the sides a bit, "those were the only lifeboats we could get too which weren't blocked by a raging inferno." "I guess we only have one option then," said Clay as he started forming a cloud around his feet, "I've almost exhausted my quirk, but if land is close by then this should work."

"Well whatever we do," said Slade as he greatly lowered his density, "We better do it fast!" As he was saying this, another couple of explosions ripped through the ship as its massive frame sank ever deeper into the ocean.

"Alright here goes," said Clay as he solidified the cloud underneath his feet and took off, riding the cloud like a hover board. Slade jumped up shortly after, getting a good amount of height on his jump thanks to the current low density of his body, as he grabbed onto Clay's cloud.

"Hey you're not gonna believe this," said Clay, spotting city lights as his cloud moved away from the burning wreckage, "It looks like we're not even that far out from the harbor, we might actually-," KRAKOOOOOOM! Clay's words were cut off as a final massive explosion from the ship sent out a shower of flying debris. The shock of the explosion disrupted the cloud they were holding onto as some of the debris knocked them into the dark ocean beneath.

Japanese Harbor: A Short Time Later

Clay hardly remembered what happened next. All he knew for sure was that one moment he was struggling to get back to the surface, fighting against an intense burning pain along his shoulders and right arm as he did so. Shortly after he broke the surface of the water, something grabbed a hold of him and yanked him out of the water and dragged him through the air towards the shoreline as he fought to stay conscious. The next thing he knew, he was waking up on a hospital stretcher.

"You really stepped in it big," said a long-haired man wearing black clothing and a long, gray scarf, sighing as he pulled down the yellow goggles which had been covering his eyes. "What happened," asked Clay as he sat up, wincing as he noticed the bandages wrapped around his shoulder and right arm.

"You got incredibly lucky," said the man as he glanced around the scene with tired eyes, "What I'd like to know is how you managed to wind up on an oil tanker full of villains in the first place, because so far I can't think of a single logical explanation for it."

"Well I guess this is gonna be another one of those Eraser Head logic talks," said Clay, "But first, why don't you tell me where Slade's at?" "He's fine," replied Eraser Head as he directed Clay's attention to another hero who was talking to one of the paramedics who was examining Slade, a guy wearing a blue jumpsuit-like outfit with what appeared to be wooden arms, wooden legs, and a wooden mask.

"Kamui woods over there pulled you both out of the water with his vine quirk," Stated the pro hero, "This was his first patrol you know, you're lucky he was even able to spot you among all the wreckage."

"Remind me to thank him," said Clay as he looked out over the harbor, his vision finally clearing enough for him to see what remained of the burning hulk of what used to be the oil tanker. "Man," said Clay, "We sure did a number on that thing."

"Which brings me back to my original question," said Eraser Head, "What series of illogical decisions led you to be on that ship, because what I've heard so far from the villains that were captured by the other heroes I brought to the harbor, that oil tanker was a front for a quirk fighting arena, led by a well-known villain."

"All we were doing was taking a 'logical' shortcut," replied Clay, air-quoting the word 'logical', "Figured we could get around the crowd at the town festival, that's when we ran into those villains." "I'm guessing they got a look at your student IDs," said Eraser Head.

"Yeah they know our names," said Clay, "But so long as we catch 'em all that shouldn't be a problem right?" "Except that we haven't," stated Eraser Head, "A small number of them managed to escape, including the ring leader, Ghoul Fire."

"Outstanding," said Clay, sarcastically, "Though there is one bit of good news, Ghoul Fire wasn't the leader of that pack of rats, it was some weirdo by the name of Blaster Head." "Blaster Head," repeated Eraser Head, questioningly. "Yep, guy's face turns into a cannon," explained Clay, "He somehow managed to get a mutiny going against Ghoul Fire."

"Well either way," said Eraser Head, "Steps have already been taken to insure both yours and Slade's safety." "What kind of steps?" Questioned Clay, not quite liking the pro hero's tone of voice. "It's been decided that, until such a time as all the villains who may be after you are caught, you'll be going to America with the rest of your relatives," said Eraser Head.

"But you can't just-," Clay tried to protest before Eraser Head cut him off. "As I said, it's already been decided," He said, "You do realize what could happen if any one of those villains learns who you're related too."

"I know," said Clay with a sigh, "This just seems, I don't know, a bit drastic." "I wouldn't have set this up if I didn't think it was necessary," Said Eraser Head, "Now you won't be heading out for a day or so, you'll have time to pack and bid farewell to your other friends, so you and Slade had best make the most of it."

"Right, got it," said Clay somberly. "Good to hear," said Eraser Head as he turned away and began talking to another group of heroes who'd just walked up. This is unbelievable, thought Clay, one major incident and we're being completely sent out of the country because of the possibility of some villains tracking us down. Clay looked again at the smoldering wreckage in the harbor as he thought about what the future might bring, and made a decision.

Outside Aldera Junior High: The Next Day

"So you guys are seriously leaving!" Exclaimed Midoriya as Clay and Slade finished giving him the news. "That's pretty much what they're making us do," confirmed Clay, "I personally don't agree with it, but I can't entirely deny the logic behind it either."

"At least we're shipping out to the same place," said Slade, "I don't even want to think about how tough it would be to find even one new friend in a whole new country." "It's worse for m-me," stuttered Midoriya, "It's just gonna be only me again against Kacchan and the others."

"Believe me we've been arguing this point over and over," Said Clay, "But the pros have spoken and our families are onboard with them too, I'm, I'm sorry things wound up this way."

"When do you guys think you'll be back," asked Midoriya. "Hard to say," Slade answered for the both of them, "Most of those villains weren't terribly bright, but there were one or two elites who'll probably be trouble, so even optimistically speaking, we're still gonna be gone at least a couple months."

"I see," said Midoriya as he hung his head a little lower. "Hey this ain't good bye forever," said Clay as he put a reassuring hand on his friend's shoulder, "I promise we'll be back as soon as we can, until then, keep your head low and use everything we taught you about avoiding bullies to stay out of trouble."

"And keep writing those notes," said Slade, "Because no matter what any of those bullies say, you can be a hero, quirk or no quirk." "T-thanks guys," said Midoriya, trying not to get too teary-eyed, "I-I'll do my best."

"Good to hear," said Clay as he and Slade turned to leave, "We'll be sure to send you plenty of pictures from the states," Slade called back. "I-I'll hold you too that," Midoriya almost shouted, "Just try to get back here in time to see me become a hero!"

"Don't worry," said Clay as he waved back, "I only make promises I fully intend to keep." The three friends waved for a bit longer until Slade and Clay both turned a corner and disappeared from Midoriya's line of sight.

"I really hope he'll be okay," said Slade, "With us gone, those bullies of his will definitely take a few shots at him." "All we can do right now is hope things turn out well," said Clay, "In the meantime, I'm gonna start some more intensive training."

"Can I ask what for," questioned Slade. "I've decided that whenever we get back, I'm applying to UA Academy," Said Clay. "Wo what's brought this on?" Asked Slade.

"I saw the power of a former pro up close," replied Clay, "And how much potential my quirk has for doing good, and if there's one place which can teach proper quirk usage it's UA."

"Sounds like you actually want to follow the path of a hero now," said Slade with a slight smirk, "Count me in." "Hey you don't have to do it just because I'm doing it," said Clay.

"Forgetting our little deal already," said Slade, "We agreed that if one of us wanted to become a hero, then we both become heroes, you know, watch each other's backs and all that." "Oh yeah," said Clay, scratching his head in thought, "I usually don't forget promises like that."

"So it's settled then," said Slade as they stopped next to a giant pair of high tech steel doors which led to an enormous school. "Definitely," said Clay as he turned around and took in the sight of the massive school that was UA Academy, "The next time we come here, we're gonna give it our all and walk through these doors," said Clay with a hopeful smile etched on his features.

 **And so the stage has been set as Clay and Slade make the first of many fateful decisions which will propel them down the path of heroes. For those who are wondering, this will be the end of the flashback sequences for now, and for those who want to know what all happened on the oil tanker, don't worry, it'll come to light in later chapters. Also, I'd like to thank my reviewers, followers, and viewers who've given this story a read so far, and as always I'm open to any suggestions or ideas on how to make my stories better. Stop in next time as Clay and Slade take on UA's entrance exam.**


	3. Not Your Average Entrance Exam

**Not You're Average Entrance Exam**

UA Academy Testing Center: 1 Year and 10 Months Later

Finally back, thought Clay as he and Slade walked down a familiar street, taking in sights they hadn't lain eyes on in nearly two years. It had taken a surprising amount of time for the heroes to track down the remaining villains from the oil tanker incident, especially considering the fact that, despite both Clay and Slade's insistence that it wasn't necessary, they'd kept up the search for the villain Ghoul Fire.

But eventually, and with a little bit of convincing, Clay and Slade were allowed back in the country with their families. "I know it's a bit late to be saying this again," said Slade, "But your Uncle could probably have gotten you in on a recommendation, especially considering all the training you've put in."

"You mean we've put in, and I know," replied Clay, "But I wanna know how I stack up against some of the other applicants, and besides, why should I get a free pass when you and Midoriya gotta take the test to get in?"

"Well you could've at least asked him what the test was," stated Slade, "You know, to curb some anxiety." "He wouldn't tell me even if I asked really nicely," Clay remarked back, "But if it helps, he did tell me one thing, this ain't gonna be a written test."

"I can work with that," said Slade as he cracked his knuckles, "Now let's hurry up, Midoriya's probably already there."

UA Academy stood up to its reputation, which in this case meant that the school was big, very big. Aside from the main building, the school also boasted several other buildings which served a number of purposes, including classrooms, assembly halls, and a number of training fields which resembled mock cities of all things.

"I'm not seeing him anywhere," said Slade as he looked out over the crowd while they made their way inside of the main auditorium. "Midoriya will be here," said Clay, "He wouldn't miss this for the world."

"It's still unbelievable," said Slade as he and Clay checked their phones for any new messages, "Nearly two years of hearing about him recording hero notes and sightings, and then ten months ago he starts going on about how he's training to become a hero."

"He said it was a late blooming quirk," Clay reminded Slade, "I'm just glad the guy finally got a lucky break." "Well lucky or not," said Slade as he checked the time on his phone, "It won't count for much if he doesn't get here in time, and the same goes for us if we don't get in the assembly hall already."

"Alright, alright," said Clay, "But keep a seat saved if you can." "Can I give folks that death glare I do so well?" asked Slade. "So long as you try to make it hilarious," replied Clay as they made their way into the assembly hall.

Geez, thought Clay as he looked around the assembly hall, they told me a lot of people wanted to be heroes, but I've seen concerts with fewer people than this. Good thing we didn't wait too long or it might've been impossible to get a seat in here, and we sure as heck can't save one now, he realized as they sat down with the rest of the examinees as the lights suddenly went out and the gigantic screen on the stage lit up with the UA symbol filling the screen.

"Thanks for tuning in everyone," said a middle-aged, mustached-man dressed in a black leather jacket, wearing sunglasses with some kind of collar around his neck with a microphone, and ridiculously long blond hair which somehow managed to stand straight up as he continued to speak in an animated fashion, "This is Present Mic, your official school DJ, LET ME HEAR YA!"

The assembly hall remained silent, prompting Present Mic to continue. "Keepin' it on the down low, no problem we'll just skip right to it!" The images on the giant screen shifted as Present Mic began his explanation. "Now we're gonna talk about how this exam is gonna go down, so ARE WE READY!" Present Mic was once again met with silence as he started to explain how the exam was going to be conducted.

I never was one for radio personalities, thought Clay, I could listen to the music all day but radio shows are kind of hit or miss. "Oh my gosh it's Present Mic," Clay suddenly heard from a couple seats behind him, "I listen to his radio show every day of the week!"

Okay, thought Clay, there is only one person I know who could possibly be muttering about a celebrity hero right now. Clay glanced back to see a familiar mess of green hair belonging to none other than Izuku Midoriya, who was currently having a hard time sitting still in his seat due to his excitement at being in the same room as a well-known hero. Just in time, Clay thought as he turned his attention back to the front of the assembly hall as Present Mic was explaining the exam.

"Today's exam will be mock battles within some really hip urban settings," Explained Present Mic as the screen displayed a map showing testing areas lettered from A to G. "Aw man," said Slade as he and Clay looked at their exam IDs, "They're splitting folks up so they can't work with their friends, and it looks like I'm gonna be in testing center C."

"Testing center D for me," said Clay as Present Mic was explaining the scoring system. "Now you've got three types of enemies you'll be facing, each one ranking a certain number of points based on their difficulty, your goal in this exercise is to use your quirk to shred these bad boys like a rock and roll guitar solo!" Stated Present Mic, "But act heroically, attacking other examinees is a UA no no, ya dig."

"Excuse me I have a question," said a student with blue hair and glasses wearing a fancy school uniform as he stood up, a spotlight suddenly shining on him for some reason. "Lay it on me," said Present Mic.

"You've mentioned three enemy types, but there are four listed here on the handouts you've given us," said the student, "If this is an error on official school material then it is shameful." Oh boy, thought Clay, I'm guessing this guy is over the top on proper school discipline. "We are exemplary students and we expect more from the top rated school in Japan, and on a similar note," The student turned to look back at Midoriya, "You back there with the disheveled green hair, you've been muttering back there the whole time, it's distracting, if you can't be bothered to take this seriously, leave."

"You know what else is distracting," said Clay, unable to stop himself, "Standing up and interrupting an entire presentation instead of waiting for the speaker to ask for questions, so sit down so we can get through the rest of this." "Preferably while we're young," added Slade.

The student looked flustered as the laughter which was originally directed at Midoriya was now also directed at him as he sat down, fuming a little as he did so. Clay nodded back at Midoriya as the presentation continued. "Thanks for calling in with your request examinee 7111," said Present Mic, "The fourth type is actually worth zero points, think of it as an obstacle to avoid while you try to rack up as many points as you can before time runs out."

So we're doing this video game style, thought Clay, take out enemies to rack up points. "That's all the info I got for you today," said Present Mic, "So I'll leave you with a taste of our school motto, as the great General Napolean Bonaparte once said 'A true hero is one who overcomes life's misfortunes,' so I hope you're all ready to go beyond, PLUS ULTRA!" With that last statement, the presentation ended as everyone made their way to the designated testing sites.

"I still can't believe you guys are actually here," said Midoriya as they walked to the testing site, "Did you come all this way just for the exam?" "We've been trying to get back ever since we left," said Clay as he crossed his arms, "But no matter what we said, witness protection insisted on keeping us in America until they were sure all the villains were either captured or at least very far away."

"I see, that's too bad," said Midoriya, "I'm sorry you guys had to spend all that time worrying about me." "You got nothin' to apologize for," said Slade as he clapped Midoriya on the shoulder, causing the smaller boy to cringe in pain a little, "It was a huge mess from start to finish, but we're back now so there's nothing to worry about."

"Well this exam," Clay pointed out, "But that's a problem of a different sort." "That does remind me actually," said Midoriya, "I remember you once telling me that you guys never really thought about becoming heroes, what changed."

"I'd tell you if we had the time," said Clay as they stopped at a type of crossroads, each with a path leading to a different testing area, "But my testing center is this way, so tell ya what, if I pass I'll explain my reasons, if you wanna know Slade's, though, you're just gonna have to ask him." "About the same as his," said Slade, indicating Clay, "But first things first."

Slade held out his fist, "Good luck out there," he said. "Same to you two," said Clay as he bumped his fist against Slade's. "You too Midoriya," said Slade. "O-okay," said Midoriya as he bumped his fist against theirs. "Plus Ultra," they all said, with Midoriya speaking slightly slower. No other words were spoken as they split up and headed to their respective testing sites.

Exam Site D

A literal mock # # # city, thought Clay as he stood at the massive double doors of the exam area, even after hearing all about it I still can't quite believe it. Clay had switched out his attire, changing out of his school uniform to a much more form fitting pair of black pants, boots which he could run in, and a camouflaged jacket which he'd brought with him from America.

About time to start focusing, thought Clay as he took a breath in an attempt to calm his nerves. In all honesty, he wasn't sure if he was trembling more from fear or excitement, but either way his heart rate was definitely much higher than usual. Just focus on what you have to do, he reminded himself, Slade and Midoriya will be fine.

"Alright let's begin!" Yelled Present Mic from the top of an observation tower, causing everyone to pause, "There are no count downs in real life, so RUN, you're wasting air time!" Oh crap, thought Clay as turned back to the entrance, immediately using his quirk to generate clouds around his legs.

It was a literal stampede almost as Clay shot into the air, following along with the rest of the examinees who were storming into the exam area, quickly splitting off in different directions to hunt down the faux villains. I need to get some height while maintaining speed, he determined as he flew further up into the air before turning a corner along one of the fake city's many streets.

No sooner had he done this than one of the faux villains, a green robot with four legs and a lizard-like body, came crashing through one of the buildings. A two-pointer, thought Clay as he maneuvered around in midair, forming a small cloud around his right hand. The robot attempted to swipe at him with its tail, but Clay managed to twist his body out of the way as he hardened the cloud around his hand and sent it flying at the faux villain, tearing apart the area where its head and neck met, rendering it useless.

That's two points so far, thought Clay as he flew on, spotting a pair of robots with mantis-like arms who rode on a single wheel. One-pointers, Clay recalled, let's see how they deal with this. Clay dispersed the cloud beneath his feet as he landed and spun, whipping his right leg around in a sweeping maneuver which sent out a crescent shaped cloud which tripped the two faux villains as their momentum sent them flying through the air. In the next instant, Clay blasted the both of them into opposite buildings, completely trashing the two robots. That makes four points, he thought as he added up in his head as he headed into a four way intersection.

Movement caught Clay's eyes as he looked to the left, then the right, until he realized that there were faux villains closing in on him from all four streets. A pair of one-pointers, he counted, a two-pointer and even a three pointer. The three pointer had two large arms with a short head on a pair of large wheels, with a pair of rocket launchers on each shoulder to finish out its intimidating look. Time for multi-directional, thought Clay as he landed on the ground and changed his clouds into four rotating, orb-like clouds.

Gonna have to time this just right, he thought as he observed that the one pointers would reach him first. Here goes, thought Clay as he sent his first two clouds out, increasing their speed as much as he could in a short time. The clouds slammed into the two one-pointers and shot through their heads like bullets, destroying them as Clay quickly shifted his attention to the two-pointer, sending out his other two clouds at high speed, destroying its two front legs and causing it to crash to the ground in a rolling heap.

Now for all four, he thought as he spun and sent out all of the clouds he'd generated at the three-pointer's head. The four clouds impacted one after the other as Clay had them push back against the faux villains as its head crumpled under the pressure. As he watched, the robot seemed to stumble as it slid along the ground until finally coming to a stop a mere few feet from him.

That was a little closer than I would've liked, thought Clay as he tried catching his breath, but that makes eleven points. I wonder how Slade and Midoriya are handling this, he mused as he reformed his cloud beneath his feet and took off again, either way, best get moving before time runs out.

Training Area C

And that makes fifteen, thought Slade as he barreled through another one-pointer before decreasing his density to pick up more speed. These things aren't all that threatening when you can bust right through 'em with enough force, thought Slade, and unlike those body hardening types, when I shift my density it stays that way until I change it again, speaking of which. Another three pointer raced out in front of Slade, firing some of the missiles from the launchers on its back.

Slade lowered his density a little more, allowing him to leap up surprisingly high, and out of the way of the oncoming missiles as he jumped off a nearby wall, aiming both feet at the enemy. Just as he was about to hit the mech, Slade quickly increased his density, allowing him to land on top of the robot with force similar to a falling anvil as the machine's body crumpled underneath his feet. And now its eighteen points, Slade counted in his head as he continued running through the streets, let's see how long I can keep this up.

The timer on the exam continued to countdown as Slade repeated his pattern of smashing through any faux villain he could find before lowering his density again to sprint off to the next ones, slowly but surely racking up his score. This is surprisingly straight forward, thought Slade as he destroyed another one pointer with a head butt, bringing his current score up to thirty points, there's supposed to be another enemy type, and Clay's uncle even gave him some kind of warning to be on the lookout for surprises, so what's going on here. As if in answer to his thoughts, the ground quaked violently for a moment as a massive dust cloud suddenly shot upwards in the mock city's center.

As Slade and a number of other examinees looked on in surprise, a massive, ten story tall shape moved out of the cloud, revealing it to be a massive robot with two enormous arms, a rectangular-shaped head with six red cameras for eyes, and two massive treads which took up the entire street, the zero-point faux villain. "Oh," said Slade with a mixture of surprise and possible terror in his voice, "Now that is just bull-."

Exam Area D

"- ! ! #!" Exclaimed Clay as he was blown back with several other examinees by the massive shockwave generated by the zero-pointer's fist impacting with the street. Clay hit the ground and rolled a couple of feet as a cloud of dust covered the area. No wonder they encourage avoiding that thing, thought Clay as he got back on his feet, it's huge, I doubt most people would even consider fighting something of that size.

The zero-pointer withdrew its massive fist as its treads began to roll, causing the street to rumble as its massive bulk advanced towards the terrified examinees. Everyone around Clay began to flee as he considered his options. There's no point in fighting that thing, he managed to rationalize while trying to keep himself calm as he reformed his cloud beneath his feet, but if I can get past it I can take out any remaining enemies which may be behind it.

"Owww," a voice suddenly sounded several feet in front of Clay, who glanced over in the direction of the voice. Laying on the ground in a dazed and confused state was a pink-skinned girl with curly pink hair and what appeared to be yellow horns growing out of her head. Oh you can't be serious, groaned Clay as he saw the zero-pointer about to roll right on top of her.

"D ## it all," said Clay as he sped over, angling his cloud as he leaned down and grabbed a hold of the girl by the waist with both hands as he directed his cloud around and back in the opposite direction. Holy crap, grunted Clay as he tried to keep hold of the girl, yanking people off the ground with outstretched arms is harder than I thought. "What, what's happening!" exclaimed the girl, having regained her senses.

Clay was about to answer when he noticed a large shadow descending over them, the robot's hand. "Just hang on!" was all he was able to get out as he just barely got them out from underneath the zero-pointer's hand as the shock wave knocked both him and the girl off of his cloud. Thinking quickly, he reformed his cloud into a cushion beneath them, greatly softening their landing as they slid to a stop on the asphalt.

"You know," Said Clay as he pushed himself off the ground, "I never thought I'd see the day where I hated Japan's obsession with giant robots." "Oh thank you!" said the girl as she threw her arms around his head, smothering his head with her chest, "Thank you, thank you, thank you that was way too close!" Clay could barely breathe, not to mention his elevated heart rate and blushing face, as he tried tapping on her arm to get her to loosen her grip.

"Oh sorry," she said as she released his head, allowing him to finally get some air in his lungs, "Not every day you're nearly crushed by a giant robot." "Don't mention it," replied Clay between ragged breaths as he tried to stop himself from blushing too, "But I think the robot still wants to crush us." As he said this, the ground began rumbling again as the zero-pointer advanced on them.

Exam Area C: A Few Minutes Earlier

Now this is definitely excessive, thought Slade as the dust from the robot's impacting fist cleared. Thanks to increasing his density he wasn't thrown back like several of the other examinees, but that didn't help the fact that there was still a multistory robot now advancing on them, trying to crush them under its treads like ants. Too bad there are no points awarded for fighting this thing, he reasoned as he turned to retreat with everyone else, albeit a bit more casually, it might've been fun to see how tough its armor really was.

"Someone help!" yelled a girl behind Slade, causing him to whirl around to find the source, "He's trapped under here and he's barely conscious!" Slade tried to locate the source of the voice when he noticed a blond-haired individual on the ground in what appeared to be a karate uniform and sporting some kind of a tail which was currently trapped under the rubble which had been kicked up by the robot's fist. Even odder, his arm was being pulled up by, nothing?

"Anyone?" yelled the girl again. She's invisible, Slade realized as a shadow was descending on them, the faux villain's giant hand. I can't make it in time to help move the rubble, Slade realized as he broke into a sprint without thinking towards the two trapped examinee's, so there's only one option I can think of at the moment.

As Slade ran, he increased his density more and more, each step heavier than the last as every impact of his foot against the asphalt created larger and larger craters, shaking the ground as he thundered past the invisible girl and the tail guy. At the last possible moment, Slade jumped as high as he could and slammed his body into the faux villain's fist with the density and weight of a freight train behind his charge which tore a hole through the armor of the robot's finger, causing it to retract its hand.

"I'm not done yet!" yelled Slade as he continued charging, ramming his body into the left tread of the faux villain. "Try and get him out of here!" he called back to the invisible girl as he pushed against the tread with all his might, trying to keep it from rolling as the robot began advancing again. I know this might cost me any remaining points, thought Slade as he continued to increase his density as he felt the giant tread scrape against his body, causing his feet to slide along the ground little by little, but I have to know.

"Maximum density!" yelled Slade, for reasons he couldn't really fathom as he pushed even harder against the tread, taking a moment to check back and see that the invisible girl had managed to wake up the guy with the tail and was in the process of leading him away. I have to know he, thought again.

I have to know if I can be a hero, thought Clay as he formed clouds around his hands and feet. "Get everyone else clear," said Clay as he began to hover upwards, "I'll keep this thing busy." "Wait, you can't possibly-," the pink girl tried to say, but the rest of her sentence was lost as Clay flew upwards at high speed towards the zero-pointer's rectangular head, flying past its outstretched hand as he did so. Last I checked I managed to get at least thirty or more points, Clay calculated as he fired a couple of projectiles at the cameras on the robot's face, but screw it I can't just focus on some test while this thing is trying to run over people.

One of the cameras finally shattered from Clay's repeated barrage as the zero-pointer swung its massive hand up towards Clay. I know you're watching Uncle, thought Clay, so at least one person is gonna understand why the ## I'm doing this in the first place. Waiting until the last moment, Clay generated a smokescreen-sized blast of clouds, blinding the robot as he shot away from its face as the robot slammed its hand into its own face.

Can't believe that worked, thought Clay as he reformed his cloud to continue floating in the air, guess bigger head doesn't necessarily mean bigger brain. But Clay's moment of satisfaction was short-lived as the faux villain removed its hand from its damaged head and, Clay wasn't certain but, it almost looked like it was pissed. Well then, he thought as he repositioned himself in the air, I guess-.

It's not over yet! Thought Slade as the tread dug him deeper into the ground, it's not over-. "Time is up!" yelled Present Mic suddenly over the exam speakers as a series of sirens sounded throughout the exam site. Oh finally, thought Slade and Clay as they both breathed a sigh of relief, the exam's finally over.

 **Both Slade and Clay have managed to make it through the exam, but were there efforts enough. Whew, this chapter wound up a bit lengthy, I know, but it just seemed odd to end the chapter in the middle of the exam, and so we have the long chapter three. Also, I'd like to say thank you to everyone who has given this story a read so far, my reviewers, followers, and viewers, and also thank you for all your suggestions on how to make this story better. Be sure to stop in next time as Clay and Slade discover the results of their actions in the entrance exam.**


	4. Exam Aftermath

**Exam Aftermath**

Oh that is so much better, thought Clay as he downed what must've been his fourth bottle of water in the last few minutes. "No matter how many times I see you do that," said Slade as they headed over to the infirmary, "I still wonder how you aren't running to the bathroom all day."

"I've explained it before," said Clay, "You should be able to tell me how it works by now." "I know I know," said Slade, "But it makes me need to whiz just watching you down that many, and I'm not even thirsty." "I know I drink slightly more than the average person," said Clay as he started on a six pack of sodas he'd also brought with him, "But do I really drink that much more?"

"Dude by the time we get over to see how Midoriya's doing you'll go through two of those," Slade pointed out. "Well at least I didn't lose my shirt," Clay shot back, "You've gone through three this week, which I'm pretty sure is a new record." "What can I say," replied Slade as he rolled his muscled shoulders a bit, "Intensive training and giant mechs wear out regular clothes quick."

"Just remember to grab one of your extras before you go home," said Clay as they entered the medical wing of the school, "Otherwise your mother is gonna get onto me about letting you catch a cold or something." "Sure thing," said Slade, "But for now I'm just gonna enjoy the breeze." "Have fun enjoying the breeze in a chilly medical room," remarked Clay as they stepped into the room where Midoriya was supposed to have been put after the exam.

"Oh ## #," said Slade upon seeing Midoriya's condition, "What the heck happened to you in there?" "Oh hey guys," said Midoriya, rubbing the back of his head with his left hand, which was currently the only good limb he seemed to have working at the moment, or at least the only one which wasn't bandaged, "Yeah I took a bit of damage in the exam, seems you guys did too."

"Lost my shirt mostly," said Slade, "And Clay got off with a few scrapes, nothing like what you got." "So what happened anyway, not able to move away from the no-pointer fast enough," Asked Clay, steering the conversation back to Midoriya's condition.

"Actually it wasn't the faux villains that did this to me," Explained Midoriya, "This is all because of the backlash of my quirk." "Jeez," said Slade as he rubbed his own arm, not really wanting to imagine the pain Midoriya had likely gone through in that moment, "If that's what your quirk does to you I'd hate to see what it does to the guy on the receiving end." "Well it managed to take down the no-pointer with one hit," said Midoriya, "So at least I know it works."

"Hold up," said Clay, "You took down the one-pointer, not just distracted it, not just held it off but took it down with a single blow?" "Y-yeah," said Midoriya, "But I broke both legs and my right arm doing it thanks to my quirk's backlash, and worst of all I didn't get a single point."

"But why'd you go after the zero-pointer in the first place," Questioned Slade, trying to keep Midoriya from getting depressed, "I mean it's awesome on a whole lot of levels, but they made it pretty clear in the presentation that there was no reason to go after it." "Well there was t-this girl a-and she was t-trapped," Midoriya stuttered out as he tried to explain.

"Ah a girl, got it," said Clay with what he believed was a knowing smile, "Nothing more heroic for a guy, at least in the comic books, than to save the life of a beautiful lady." "I mean I-I would've saved t-them it if it was another guy i-in danger," stuttered Midoriya, "N-not that the g-girl wasn't, you k-know, cute or anything i-it just happened t-to be a girl I-I saved!"

"Relax," said Clay as he put a hand on Midoriya's shoulder to stop him from shaking, "I'm just messin' with ya." "Though we really should address the elephant quirk in the room," said Slade, turning slightly serious.

"I know," said Clay with a sigh as he crossed his arms, "You said you didn't get any points, which I guess means you weren't able to take out any of the faux villains." "Pretty much yeah," said Midoriya as he hung his head lower, "There just wasn't enough time and all the other examinees were getting to them before me, so I couldn't score a single point and given the backlash of my quirk, I doubt I would've been able to get more than a few points anyway, so no matter how you look at it, I-I-."

"Are you so certain about that," said Clay, stopping Midoriya from finishing his sentence. "I mean w-what other outcome is there?" asked Midoriya. "First ask yourself this," said Clay as he held up a finger, "If being a hero was really just about taking out villains, then why is the biggest, most gigantic villain in the test worth zero points?"

"I, uh, don't know," replied Midoriya with a bit of confusion in his voice. "Add on to that the fact that there are a panel of Pro hero judges watching the test, but why bother with judges if all they need to do is add up the points of all the robots taken out by each examinee?" "Alright Clay," said Slade, not liking the suspense he was creating, "Do you know something we don't?"

"Just a hunch," said Clay, "But what if the test has other parameters besides just taking down villains." "Like what," asked Midoriya, "What else could they possibly be testing for?" Clay thought for several moments, long enough to build up some tension before he spoke. "Absolutely no idea," Clay said dumbly as he held up his hands in a shrug.

"Dumb ##," exclaimed Slade as he smacked the back of Clay's head. "Oww what," said Clay with a grimace. "If you didn't have any idea then why bring it up in the first place!" Slade scolded Clay. "It was just a thought," said Clay as he rubbed the sore spot on his head, "We aren't exactly trying to get into a normal school here, so why would the tests be straightforward?"

"Well here's my thought," said Slade, "I think you've had way too much soda, again, making you hyperactive and running your imagination all over the place, which is why you're spouting random nonsense." "I doubt that's the case," said Clay as he finished another soda and tossed it into the garbage bin.

"Well either way we should probably get going so Recovery Girl can finish treating Midoriya's injuries when she gets back," Said Slade as he stood up to leave, "Alright, but I still think I haven't had that many," said Clay innocently as he opened another can of the fizzy beverage. "Dude you started with a full six pack," said Slade, "You just opened the last one."

"Huh," said Clay as he took a look at the empty plastic rings which had held the now empty cans, "How 'bout that, hey Midoriya you want this one, I meant to offer you one earlier but it seems I got carried away again." "Oh n-no that's okay," said Midoriya as he waved his hands in front of him, "It's been s-such a long time I-I'd forgotten that you d-drank that much." "Comes with the quirk," said Clay, "Which reminds me, before we go could you tell us more about yours."

"That is a serious quirk," said Slade, who'd finally managed to get his other shirt on as they made their way out of the gates of UA and back onto the public sidewalk, "Even at low power it still inflicts a lot of damage, and theoretically, when it's turned up to high power his quirk can generate enough potential energy for him to cause harm likely just by flicking his finger, but the strange thing is the amount of force released causes a severe backlash to the one using it."

"You're starting to really get into the physics aspect again," Clay pointed out before Slade could start ranting further. "Alright," said Slade, "I'll explain it in the less fun way, basically from what he told us, Midoriya's quirk is an enhancement type which generates a massive amount of energy into his limbs, allowing him to perform incredible feats of speed and strength."

"I got that part," said Clay, "What I want to know is why it hurts him so badly to use it?" "As I was just trying to explain," Said Slade, "His quirk is powerful but for whatever reason his body isn't or doesn't reinforce itself to withstand it, so when he uses his power it's like firing a high caliber rifle without bracing yourself properly, though in Midoriya's case it's more like firing off a tank shell without the rest of the tank to stop the recoil."

"Yeah that would hurt, a lot," said Clay as he tried to imagine how it would feel to try holding onto a tank barrel and fire it without anything bracing it. "It is an odd quirk," Slade pondered, "But what's really odd is how it manifested out of nowhere, I mean late bloomers aren't unheard of but the timing is what bothers me."

"You mean how he coincidentally managed to get a quirk shortly before the entrance exam," said Clay, "Even though all the doctors said he was quirkless and the fact that he hasn't shown even the slightest sign of developing one over the years, even during the time before we had to leave for America, it just doesn't add up."

"Well there's still a lot to be learned about quirks, even in this day and age," said Slade, "Perhaps Midoriya's case is something new altogether." "I guess for now all we need to do is watch and wait," said Clay.

One Week Later: The Cero Residence

One, two, three, four, thought Clay as his fingers played across the electronic keyboard in his room, filling it with the sound of half decent jazz piano playing. He'd learned a bit about playing the piano from his Mother, who played beautifully when she had the time and had given Clay an electronic keyboard of his own for Christmas one year so they wouldn't have to fight over the small piano next to the kitchen. It had become one of his favorite hobbies next to video games and it was especially helpful now for curbing his anxiety as he waited out the days for word from UA about his exam results.

He was so concentrated on playing the music that it took him a moment to notice that his mother was knocking on his door. "Clay!" said his Mother, somewhat loudly so she could be heard over the sound of his piano playing, "Clay you've got a letter from UA, and it looks very official!"

"One second Mom," said Clay as he pushed himself away from the keyboard, and crossed his room, which was furnished with a desk with a laptop computer and a game system on it, an actual bed as opposed to a futon, his keyboard and a bench to sit on next to the far wall and a dresser in the corner with a lamp and reading light on it. The room itself had a few decorations in it, such as a couple posters for his favorite video games along the walls, a few figures of pro heroes and a large poster on his door of one of his favorite heroes, Snipe, as well as another one of the newer hero Kamui Woods.

"If this is what I think it is," said his Mother as Clay opened the door, "Then it would probably be best if the rest of the family read it with you." "Well why don't I take a look first," said Clay as he accepted the letter and tore it open, revealing a small circular device within, "Alright, this is probably something we should show Dad."

His mother nodded in agreement as they made their way downstairs. Clay's Mother was a dark-haired Japanese woman with brown eyes and light skin, while his father, who was sitting on the couch working on his laptop was a somewhat more heavyset, American man with dark-brown hair and blue eyes which were currently darting back and forth across the laptop's screen. "A letter came from UA," said Clay's mother as they all took seats around the coffee table in front of the couch where Clay's father was sitting, "Any idea what to make of this?"

Clay set the device down in front of his father, who set his laptop aside and put on his reading glasses as he examined it. "Interesting way to send a message," said his Father as he hit a small switch on the side of the device and set it down. Almost immediately a screen was projected from the top of the device as an image of All Might in a big yellow business suit stood in front of a large board with UA's symbol on it.

"Hoo Ah, I am here!" Yelled All Might, making everyone present jump a little, "In case you're wondering why the number one hero is greeting you, well you're in for a treat because you are looking at the newest teacher of UA Academy." You mean All Might, thought Clay, 'the' All Might is gonna be teaching us?

"First let me say congratulations on passing the written exam, and as for your performance in the combat portion of the exam," A screen lit up, which was partially blocked by All Might's large frame as he continued explaining, "You managed to get a total of 35 points on the combat portion, just enough to pass, if not barely, under normal circumstances," explained All Might, "But what you might not have realized is that this test has other parameters than just combat, let's watch for a moment."

A black screen switched on next to All Might as it showed some of the footage from the exam, namely the part where Clay had dove in and yanked the pink-skinned girl out of the way of the zero-point villain before she got trampled by its treads. "Heck of a move there son," said Clay's father, "Though I got to know if you saved her just because she was cute?"

"Daaaad," said Clay as he continued to watch the message, "I told you it just seemed like the right thing to do at the time, the fact that she was incredibly cute only registered after I saved her." "Uh huh," said his Father with an amused expression.

"You see," All Might said as the message continued, "We not only have combat points, but rescue points as well which are determined by a panel of judges who watch and award points for heroic acts, and in your case, for saving the young Miss Ashido the judges saw fit to reward you with 35 rescue points, so congratulations Clay Cero, not only were you in the top ten but you have officially been accepted into the Hero Academia!"

As he finished speaking, the image of All Might disappeared as the message device switched itself off automatically. Clay and his family remained silent for several moments, until Clay's phone finally rang. Checking the number, Clay saw it was Slade calling.

"Dude did you get your letter!" Yelled Slade on the other end of the phone, "You were right there were other parameters, they had rescue points we're both in the top ten!" "I know," said Clay, surprisingly calmly, "And All Might is gonna be our teacher as well, BECAUSE WE'RE BOTH GOING TO UA!"

Clay and the rest of his family began cheering as Slade cheered on the other end of the line "WE DID IT," They both yelled, "FROM THIS DAY FORWARD WE'RE OFFICIALLY STUDENTS OF UA ACADEMY!"

 **At Long last the two friends have made it into UA, but this is only the start of their adventures. Hello again everyone, first off I'd like to make a bit of an apology for the delay, had some work-related stuff to take care of over the weekend. Next, I'd like to say thank you to everyone, especially my Reviewers, Followers, and Viewers for helping me to reach a milestone of over 200 views for this story already, and I'd also like to thank everyone whose taken the time to review or comment about what I can do to make this story better, it keeps me motivated to keep writing. Be sure not to miss the next chapter as Clay and Slade begin their first day at UA Academy, and learn more about Clay's past. Til' next time.**


	5. Our Teacher the Erasure Hero

**Our Teacher the Erasure Hero**

UA Academy: Start of the Semester

"So what do you think our first lesson is gonna be," asked Slade as they walked down the large hallway of the famous academy, "We gonna be learning rescue techniques, or basic laws governing quirks, oh maybe we're gonna get to do combat training today!"

"Well depending on who we get for a homeroom teacher it could be any number of things," replied Clay, "But it'll probably just be basic orientation stuff today, and maybe a little something to scare us." "Well whatever it is I say bring it on," said Slade as he brought his fist to his other hand as they stopped in front of the door of their assigned classroom, 1A.

"Gosh what is it with this school and making everything gigantic?" questioned Clay as he and Slade stood before what must've been a ten foot tall door with 1A written on it in incredibly large letters.

"It may be because of the principal," Whispered Slade, "If what you told me is true he's like a three foot tall rodent or something." "I'm not sure anyone knows exactly what he is," Clay whispered back, "But I am certain we don't wanna get on his bad side, because I also heard he can get pretty vicious when he needs too."

"I'll keep that in mind," said Slade as he slid open the massive door. The interior of the blue and white class room was like most schools with several rows of desks in the middle of the classroom, a chalkboard and a teacher's podium up front. As Clay looked over the class room, he saw a few students had already shown up. Guess we know who the diligent ones are, thought Clay as he spotted the same blue-haired guy with glasses who'd asked about the zero-pointer villain during the presentation.

Best to pretend like I don't know the guy for the moment, thought Clay as he and Slade took their seats in the middle of the classroom. No one was sitting on Clay's right side for the moment, while Slade sat on his left, and next to Slade sat a girl with her tied into a noticeably large ponytail who looked like she was studying one of the school text books. A few other students sat scattered around the class room in one desk or the other.

As Clay was getting his stuff organized, the door to the classroom slid open. Clay didn't look up at first as he was bent over the other side of his desk closing up his back pack, until he heard the sound of footsteps stopping right next to his desk. "Hey don't I know you," asked a somewhat familiar female voice. Clay looked up then, recognizing the pink skinned girl.

"Oh my gosh it is you!" the girl suddenly exclaimed as she grabbed Clay's hand and began shaking it, "I've been wondering this whole time if you passed, I owe you big time for saving me at the entrance exam, I mean that zero point villain was huuuuuge!" "Like I-I said d-don't mention i-it," said Clay as he tried to speak while getting his hand shook up and down very quickly.

"Uh, Clay who is this," Questioned Slade. "Oh right I never got a chance to introduce myself," said the pink-skinned girl as she finally stopped shaking Clay's hand, "My name is Mina Ashido, and your name is Clay?" "Clay Cero," he replied, "and the big guy next to me is Slade Mason, it's uh, nice to officially meet you."

"Why are you bringing me into this Clay?" Asked Slade. "Hey she's gonna learn your name eventually," replied Clay. "He's right," said Mina with a wink, "I'm kind of a social person." "And besides," said Clay, "Didn't you save two people?"

"I just wanted to see what kind of damage I could do to a giant robot," said Slade as he leaned back in his seat, "And yes I just so happened to help out a couple people, no big deal." "It's you!" squealed a girl suddenly as all eyes turned towards the sound of her voice to see what appeared to be a floating school uniform.

"Me and Ojiro were looking all over for you after the exam but you rushed off with your friend to the medical wing, were you hurt," asked the girl as a blond haired student with what appeared to be a giant fleshy tail with yellow hair on the end also stepped into the class room.

"I was a little battered but otherwise okay," replied Slade, "My quirk makes it hard for me to get injured so long as I use it right."

"It was a truly impressive display," said the boy with the tail, now identified as Ojiro, "You managed to slow it down significantly, with your own body." "Yeah but you should see his clothing bill," said Clay, "That was the third shirt he ruined that week."

"Well at least he doesn't have to wear specially modified clothing," said Ojiro as he swung his tail around a bit, "My family's tailoring bill for pants is outrageous some days."

"I can top all of you," said Mina, "My clothes melt if I'm not careful with my quirk!" "You must've had quite a time in middle school," said Clay. "You have no idea," said Mina, quirking her eyebrows.

"Well I don't have to worry about my wardrobe at all!" Exclaimed the invisible girl, "Because what you see is what you get." "I suppose you mean we can't see # ## ," said Clay, getting a bit of a laugh out of everyone.

This might not be so bad, thought Clay as normal conversation resumed, we seem to be getting along with all our fellow classmates just fine. As he thought this, the door slid open and in stepped the last person Clay, or Slade for that matter wanted to see.

"Now who in the heck let a couple of losers like you in here!" Sneered an unfortunately familiar blonde-haired, red-eyed boy.

"Well they let you in," said Clay after a moment, "You tell me Baku- ## ." "I got in because I'm the best of the best!" said Bakugo with his characteristic arrogant sneer on his face, "As for you guys I guess they needed to fill a couple extra seats!"

"Uh, who is this guy and why do you know him?" Whispered Mina. "A jack ## me, Slade, and another friend of mine have had a few run-ins with in the past," answered Clay.

"So I guess you're not on friendly terms?" Said Mina as Slade and Bakugo continued to argue, while a third student, the one with glasses and blue hair, Iida Clay had overheard, was trying to diffuse the situation. "Not even remotely," said Clay, "The jerk like's to make himself feel big by-."

Clay's phone started buzzing, prompting him to check it. His face paled somewhat when he read who the message was from and what they wanted. "Everything okay," asked Mina as she looked over Clay's shoulder. "Y-yeah," said Clay as he stood up from his desk, "I just need to go take care of something real fast."

"Try not to take too long," said Mina as Clay made his way out of the classroom, "Class starts soon and you don't wanna be late on your first day!" "Oh trust me," said Clay as he slid open the large classroom door, "I won't be late getting back."

A Few Minutes Later

Of all the requests I could've been given today, thought Clay as he walked back down the hall towards class 1A, it had to be transportation duty. Behind Clay was one of his clouds generated by his quirk and it was currently carrying a large yellow sleeping bag. Worst part about this is the fact that this nice little cloud ride still won't help this guy's mood any when he wakes back up.

As Clay approached the classroom he noticed that one, it was still standing, and two Midoriya was standing in the doorway talking to a brown-haired girl, likely the same one he'd saved at the entrance exam. "I can't wait to meet the teachers here," said the brown-haired girl, "I wonder what they're like, and what are we gonna be learning today, oh I just can't wait!"

"If you just came here to make friends, you may as well leave right now," came a voice from the sleeping bag Clay was transporting, causing everyone to look towards the dissipating cloud as Clay stood next to the door. "Welcome to the hero course," the sleeping bag spoke again as it stood up to reveal a man with shoulder length black hair, a face with stubble and worn out, tired looking eyes.

Everyone tried not to gasp at the sight as the man unzipped his sleeping bag, revealing his outfit, a black long sleeve shirt, pants, and boots with what appeared to be a belt of pouches around his waist, and an incredibly long, gray scarf encircling his neck. "It took you eight seconds to shut up," said the man, "That won't do, any rational student would understand that time is precious."

"Uh, who is he," Midoriya finally stuttered out as he turned to Clay. "It's best if you just brace yourself," said Clay as he patted Midoriya's shoulder before walking into the classroom, "The fun's about to start." "Huh," said everyone standing at the front of the door.

"Alright then," said the man as he walked forward to address the entire class, "My name is Shoto Aizawa, your teacher." Everyone seemed to stiffen in surprise at that statement, well everyone except Clay. "Now let's get to it," said Aizawa lazily as he reached into his sleeping bag and pulled out some blue, white-striped, and red gym uniforms, "Put these on and head outside."

UA Track and Field Course: Outside

"Quirk Assessment test!" everyone said aloud. "But what about orientation," said the brown haired girl, who Clay had learned was called Uraraka. "You don't make the big leagues by wasting your time on pointless ceremonies," answered Aizawa with his back turned to them, "UA isn't tied to a bunch of traditions, meaning I run my class in whatever manner I see fit."

This silenced any further questions as Aizawa pulled out his phone and showed everyone a list of physical tests. "Now you've all taken standardized tests before, but you of course weren't allowed to use your quirks," Said Aizawa, "Just another illogical move by the ministry of education trying to act like we're all created equal, preventing those with the most power from excelling, but they'll learn eventually." Aizawa turned his attention to one of the students.

"Bakugo," he said, "You scored highest in the entrance exam, tell me what was your longest distance soft ball throw in junior high?" "67 meters," answered Bakugo, "At least as far as I remember."

"Try it with your quirk this time," said Aizawa. Bakugo nodded as he grabbed one of the softballs which was fitted with a specialized sensor as he stepped into the pitching circle which was drawn on the field.

"Use any method you wish," said Aizawa, "Just stay inside the circle, now go on, you're wasting everyone's time." Bakugo didn't answer as he stretched his arm a bit and wound up his body for the pitch. As he swung his arm forward, he created an explosion in his palm which sent the ball shooting through the air like it'd been shot out of a cannon. "Wow," said Izuku as they all watched the ball land.

"You all need to know the limits of your capabilities," said Aizawa as he turned to the rest of the students and held up the phone, "It's the most rational way of figuring out where your potential as a pro hero lies."

"Wo, seven hundred and five meters, you got to be kidding me," said one of the students, a boy with dirty blond hair with a black lightning shaped highlight in it, Kaminari he believed he was called. "I wanna try," said Mina enthusiastically, "It looks like so much fun!" "Now I can get on board with this," said a dark-haired student whose arms looked like tape rolls, Slade had told him his name was Sero, "Using our quirks all we want!"

"Don't get too excited," said Clay as he crossed his arms, "He hasn't explained everything just yet." "Quite right," said Aizawa with an ominous tone in his voice, "You've all got three years to try and become heroes, do you really think it'll all be fun and games."

An odd smirk crossed Aizawa's face as he continued to speak, "Morons, today's eight physical tests will be to gauge your potential, whoever comes in last has none whatsoever and will be expelled!"

Everyone was taken by surprise to one degree or another as the cheery atmosphere which had been present only moments ago shattered completely and was replaced with one of dread. So that's really your game, thought Clay as he glanced at Midoriya, cracking down with cold hard logic on the first day.

"Come on you can't just do that," said Uraraka, "Even if this wasn't our first day here it isn't fair to just send one of us home." "And are natural disasters fair," Aizawa retorted, "Or power mad villains, or even catastrophic accidents which tear through whole cities, no, but the world is full of unfairness and it's a hero's job to combat it."

Uraraka looked like she wanted to argue more, but it was clear she didn't have a response to his statement. "If you want to be pros," Aizawa continued, "Then you'll have to push yourselves to the limit, because for the next three years UA is gonna present you with one hardship after another, so go beyond, plus ultra-style and show me it was no mistake that you got in here!"

50 Meter Dash:

Heck of a way to be inspiring, thought Clay as he stepped onto the starting line and took a running stance. Next to him was a girl with short purple hair with what appeared to be headphone jacks as part of her ears, Jiro was her name and she had called them earphone jacks. As the timer was about to start, Clay formed clouds around his feet as he hovered off the ground slightly. The crack of what sounded like a starting gun was their signal as they took off running.

Clay sped forward, quickly propelled by his clouds as he sped across the ground, feeling somewhat bad that he was leaving Jiro in the dust. But he'd barely had time to think about it as he crossed the finish line. "4.3 seconds," said the small camera bot which was recording their speed. "One of my best records yet for such a short distance," Clay commented as Jiro crossed the finish line a few seconds later before they both moved to the sidelines to wait for the next test.

Grip Strength Test:

"Never thought I'd be using my quirk like this," said Clay as he formed a cloud in between his fingers and the grip sensor and began to squeeze. "This is more my area really," said Slade as he increased his density to near maximum, allowing him to apply far more weight to the grip sensor in his hand.

"No way," Clay heard Sero say from another part of the room they'd moved into for the test, "540 Kilos, you're some kind of beast." "Hard not to be a beast when you got three of your six hands all squeezing at the same time," Clay whispered to Slade as he looked at the student who'd gotten the high score, a large guy, taller even than Slade with what appeared to be silver hair combed forward and some kind of blue mask covering the rest of his face.

"True," said Slade as he discreetly showed his score to Clay, 600 Kilos, "But sometimes understanding physics can help too." "I'm glad one of us does," said Clay as he looked at his own score, 400 kilos, "But at least I'm not going in last on this one." Both Clay and Slade glanced over at Midoriya, who was starting to look worried as he read his own score. Not good, thought Clay, if Midoriya doesn't use his quirk soon. Clay didn't want to finish the thought.

Standing Long Jump

Clay stood before the sand trap that was the long jump area as Slade waited behind him, giving Midoriya physics advice on the best angle and movements when performing a standing long jump. I hope you can understand his physics babble better than I can Midoriya, thought Clay as he formed a cloud underneath his feet, I've been trying to figure out what he's talking about for years now.

With one good kick off, Clay used his cloud to catapult himself to the other side of the sand pit, stumbling a little bit as he landed before righting himself. Next up was Slade, who decreased his density to as low as he could go before jumping over the sand pit, his near weightlessness allowing him to almost sail right over the sand as he landed lightly on the other side.

"You know I just thought of something," said Clay as Slade returned his body to normal density, "If this hero thing doesn't work out you could go to ballet school." "I don't do dancer tights," said Slade as he crossed his arms with a look of mild amusement on his face.

"But you're so graceful," said Clay sarcastically, "And you can change your density so you won't have to worry about your diet, you can just make yourself light and prance around in a pretty pink tutu."

"Oh really," said Slade as he put his hand on Clay's shoulder, "In that case I already have a title for my first show, the Shortening of Clay Cero." As Slade said this, he greatly increased his density, causing the hand on Clay's shoulder to become surprisingly heavy as it pushed him down towards the ground. "I'd almost pay money to see that," Clay said with an incredibly strained voice, "But on second thought, let's try the hero thing first."

"Glad we agree," said Slade as he decreased his density and removed his hand from Clay's shoulder, "Now on to the next event."

Repeated Side-Steps

Oh I'm gonna be sick, thought Clay as he bounced left to right, from one cloud to the other. He'd gotten the idea from watching one of the students, a very short one with what appeared to be purple grapes growing out of his head do the same thing. While Clay had been initially successful forming two clouds large enough to propel his body on each side of him, he'd quickly learned that the density he had them at was the slightest bit too resilient as his body twisted positions multiple times while he bounced back and forth between the two clouds.

Good thing I didn't have a huge breakfast, he thought as he finally released his quirk, causing the clouds to dissipate as he was flung to the ground. "Well," Clay thought aloud as he rolled over onto his back, "I guess I had to have at least one bad score today, owww I'm definitely gonna hurl now."

Ball Throw

"Here comes the wind up!" Exclaimed Slade as he increased his density in mid throw, adding a massive amount of weight to his pitch as he sent the ball sailing across the field and nearly out of sight. "500 meters," said Aizawa as he held up his phone, "Not bad Slade." "Ah I released a fraction too soon," said Slade as he walked out of the circle.

"Still a good throw," said Clay as he high-fived his friend on the way to the ball circle. Alright, my turn, thought Clay as he grabbed a ball and took a traditional pitcher's stance. I've learned in the last two years that the smaller the cloud I generate the farther I can send it before it's out of my range of control so. Clay formed a small cloud which gripped a third of the ball in his hand. My farthest distance with my clouds so far is 300 meters at maximum concentration and minimal size, so let's see what we can do.

Winding up his arm and raising his leg, Clay stepped forward and put all of his might into the throw. "The American past time says Hi!" exclaimed Clay as he threw the ball and used the cloud attached to it to send it soaring into the air at incredible speed. Clay could feel it after a few seconds as his head began to pound, a result of the distance lessening his control of the cloud. Just a little more, thought Clay as sweat began to form on his forehead.

After another few moments, Clay couldn't sustain the cloud anymore and used the last of his control to push it skyward as it arced away. "600 meters," said Aizawa, "Keep working on your release and you might be able to send an object even farther."

"Thanks," said Clay as he took a moment to catch his breath before stepping out of the circle, "I've been working on my distance for a while now."

"So I see," said Aizawa as Uraraka stepped into the throwing circle while Clay made his way over to Slade and Midoriya. "You only have a few events left," said Slade as Clay approached the two of them, "If you're gonna use your quirk it's either now or never." "Yeah I know," said Midoriya, "It's just I've got one shot right now so I have to be careful."

"Look all you need is a couple of good scores," said Clay as he entered the conversation, "For now get as good a score as you can and don't worry too much about what everyone else has got, because let's be honest we all have at least one bad score."

"Infinity," said Aizawa, drawing their attention to Uraraka's score. "What, how is that possible," asked Kaminari with obvious surprise in his voice. "Uh," said Clay.

"Definitely don't worry about following that act," said Slade, "Because you're up next." "R-right," said Midoriya as he made his way over to the throwing circle.

"If Midoriya doesn't get a good score soon he'll be the one going home," observed Iida. "Of course he will he's a quirkless loser!" exclaimed Bakugo as he pointed angrily at Midoriya.

"What do you mean, he has a quirk," said Iida, "He used it at the entrance exam." "Huh," said a confused Bakugo. "Oh that's right you never saw any of the footage from the other exam sites," said Clay as he crossed his arms with a slight smirk.

"Just what the heck are you talking about?" Questioned an annoyed Bakugo. "Well let's just say it's powerful," said Slade, "So much so that he has to be careful when and where he uses it."

"Now I know your screwing with me," Bakugo said through gritted teeth. "Then watch it with your own eyes," said Clay as Midoriya prepared to throw.

But just as he was at the apex of his throw, Clay caught a sliver of movement in his peripherals. Son of a # # , he thought, so this was what it was always about.

"Haaa!" said Midoriya as he threw the ball, only for it to land a mere 46 meters away. "Huh, what happened I was just trying to use it," said the confused green-haired student as he looked at his hand.

"I erased your quirk," answered Aizawa, his eyes now glowing red as his hair stood up and his scarf seemed to come to life, unfurling to reveal a pair of yellow goggles beneath them. "The judges for the entrance exam were not rational enough," said Aizawa, "They should never let someone like you enroll in this school."

"Erased," questioned Izuku as his eyes fell upon the goggles around Aizawa's neck, "Wait I recognize those goggles, you're the erasure hero, Eraser Head!"

"Erasure," said a red-haired student with sharp teeth, "I've never heard of him." "That's because he works under the radar," Clay explained to the other students, "To him the media is nothing more than a nuisance which interferes with hero work, and that's also why he dislikes celebrity heroes who get in the spotlight often."

"You're not ready," said Aizawa as he continued speaking to Midoriya, "You have no control, tell me were you just planning on breaking your bones again then expecting someone else to save your useless body?" "No that's not what-Aaaah," Midoriya tried to explain, but Aizawa's scarf seemed to move with a life of its own as it whipped towards him.

Just as it was about to reach him, the scarf stopped short. "I think this has gone on long enough sensei," said Clay as he held onto a couple of clouds he'd shaped like ropes to ensnare Aizawa's scarf, "You call this rational but it's really a bit embarrassing to be honest."

"Are you seriously going to argue this right now," said Aizawa as he turned his gaze on Clay, who dissipated his clouds. "You said so yourself," replied Clay, "Part of a hero's job is to fight against unfairness, so that's what I'm doing."

"I shouldn't have to explain to you what a liability he would be on the battlefield, having only one good shot at his disposal," Said Aizawa, "It's simple rational thinking." "You of all people should know the value of one well-placed shot," said Clay as he crossed his arms, "I've certainly seen what it can do, and besides this is supposed to be a school where we learn to 'control' and use our quirks."

"Then what would you suggest Clay," said Aizawa. "Give him his quirk back and a fair shot," said Clay with a shrug, "You know like you did for everyone else."

"Fine then," agreed Aizawa, turning back to Midoriya as his hair and scarf returned to their normal state, "You can use your impractical quirk now, take your last throw and get it over with."

Midoriya looked uncertain for a moment, but returned to the throwing circle. "Ballsy move there," Slade whispered to Clay, "Arguing with him on the first day." "Rational he may be," Clay whispered back, "but that doesn't stop him from being biased every now and then, keeps him from giving some people a chance every now and then."

Just as Clay finished speaking, Midoriya wound up the ball and threw, this time concentrating his power into his finger instead of his whole arm, propelling the ball into the air with incredible force. "I think I see what you mean," said Slade as Aizawa showed the phone to everyone, 705.3 meters.

"I'm still standing sensei," said Midoriya as he clenched his fist, a broken finger the only backlash from his quirk this time. Clay wasn't certain when he glanced over at Aizawa, but he could swear he saw him smiling. You see Uncle, thought Clay with a smile of his own, sometimes it's best not to overthink things too much.

 **Arguing with your teacher on the first day, not usually the best idea, unless you know them well. Now first off, a big thank you to all my reviewers, followers, and viewers who've provided me with helpful feed back, it helps this story get better and better. Be sure to stop by next time as Clay and Slade get their hero costumes, and hero combat training begins.**


	6. The Costume Makes the Hero

**The Costume Makes the Hero**

The looks on everyone else's faces was amazing, to Clay anyway, who couldn't help but smile at his friend, Midoriya's success. The most priceless of all was Bakugo, who was staring, open-mouthed with a look of absolute disbelief on his face. "Yeah," said Uraraka excitedly, "He's finally using his real power!" "He also appears to have broken his finger," observed Iida, "Interesting."

"It's a work in progress probably," said Slade, "No quirk is perfect." Clay was about to weigh in with his opinion until he caught a glimpse of Bakugo's hand sparking. "Slade heads up," was all Clay had time to say before Bakugo broke out in a full on sprint towards Midoriya.

Not hesitating for a second, Clay produced clouds around his feet and flung himself through the air, as Slade lowered his density and jumped in the same instance. They both flew through the air and landed on either side of Midoriya, more than ready to take on Bakugo who was mere feet away. Just as they were about to come to blows, Aizawa's scarf came flying out of nowhere, ensnaring Bakugo and stopping his advance in an instant.

"What the," said a surprised Bakugo as he tried pulling against the scarf to no avail, "Why is your scarf so freakin' strong?" "Because it's a specialized capture weapon made of carbon fiber and a special metal alloy," answered Aizawa, "Now stand down, I don't like overusing my quirk, it gives me serious dry eye." I'd hate to imagine the beast you'd be if it didn't, thought Clay.

"Now you're wasting my time, so whoever's next, get to it," said Aizawa, releasing Bakugo as his hair and eyes returned to normal. "Let's go," said Clay as he and Slade walked back to the group with Midoriya, who still looked a little scared, in tow.

"Oh my gosh is your finger okay," said Uraraka as she looked at Midoriya's hand. "This seems a bit familiar," said Slade as they both took a step back while Midoriya was talking to Uraraka. "Not quite," said Clay as he glanced back at Bakugo, who was still standing near the throwing circle, clearly still enraged, "At least the teachers here will actually keep that hot head in check."

"It's a load off all of us," said Slade as they proceeded to the next test.

The rest of the tests went by fairly quickly and by the end of them a number of the students, especially Midoriya, were exhausted. "Alright," said Aizawa as everyone gathered around to hear the results, "There's no point in going through each of you individually so I'll display all your scores like this." Aizawa used his phone to generate a large hologram so that everyone could see their cumulative score. "I rated you all from best to worst so you should have a fair idea where you stand already," said Aizawa.

Clay and Slade found that they ranked fairly well overall on the tests, but they'd never been too worried about their own scores. But upon looking at the other scores, they found that another fear of theirs was confirmed. At the bottom of the list in the 22nd spot, was Midoriya. Clay clenched his fist involuntarily upon seeing the score.

"And I lied before," said Aizawa as he switched off the hologram, "No one's going home today." A stunned silence fell over the class as everyone tried to process what they just heard. "That was a rational deception, to make sure you gave it your all," said Aizawa with a lopsided grin. "YOU # #HEAD!" exclaimed Clay and Slade as most of the class simply yelled in stunned surprise.

"I'm surprised no one else figured that out," said the girl with the ponytail, her last name was too hard for Clay or Slade to pronounce so they just used her first name, Momo. "Maybe I should've mentioned it earlier," said Momo.

Ya think, seemed to be the thought of everyone else in the class. "Man that was nerve racking," said Sero. "Yeah but I'm up for a challenge anytime," said Kirisihima.

"Alright that's it for today," said Aizawa, "Pick up a syllabus from the class room and get it read by tomorrow." Everyone breathed a sigh of relief as the erasure hero began walking off, but before he got too far, he stopped in front of Midoriya and Clay. "Midoriya," said Aizawa, causing him to tense up involuntarily. Aizawa held up a form for the nurse's office.

"Take this to Recovery Girl and have her patch you up," said Aizawa, "Tomorrow's gonna be even tougher than this when you're actual training begins, and Clay," Aizawa motioned for Clay to follow him, "A word." "Oh this isn't good," Uraraka couldn't help but say aloud as their teacher began walking away.

"Don't worry," Clay reassured them as he made to follow Aizawa, "I know what this is about." "Just don't say or do anything rash Clay," Slade advised, "He still might be in the mood to dish out a punishment or two." "I guess we'll find out," said Clay as he went to catch up with Aizawa.

"Do you think he'll be okay Slade," asked Midoriya, "I mean I know he was trying to help and all, but I don't want him getting expelled over me." "Oh don't worry too much," said Slade, "Clay's handled this kind of thing before, now don't you need to get to the nurse?"

"You know," said Clay as he and Aizawa walked by the school building, "You pulling crap like that is the reason a good number of the family call you Uncle 'Dick Head' instead of Uncle Eraser Head." "And the rest of the family always told me how respectful my nephew was to his teachers," Replied Aizawa, "And yet you jumped in and challenged my teaching method in front of the whole class when you of all people should've recognized one of my decpetions."

"Except it wasn't," said Clay as they turned a corner around the school building, "If memory serves you expelled the whole class last year because you felt they didn't make the cut, and you had Midoriya singled out from the start this time around, if you want my personal opinion most anyone else would call what you did-."

"One rotten move," said a loud masculine voice which belonged to All Might, who was dressed in a large, striped yellow suit instead of his hero uniform. "Ah All Might," said Aizawa in a disinterested voice, "No tv appearances today?" "And this must be your nephew Clay Cero," said All Might as he held out his massive hand, "A pleasure to finally meet you, and welcome back to Japan."

"The honor's mine," said Clay as he shook his hand. "It's amazing to think the two of you are actually related," said All Might, "I wonder if Aizawa was like you when he was your age." "Not even close," he answered, "Now, did you come over here to make small talk or did you have something you wanted to say?"

"Just thought I'd state an interesting observation," said All Might, "As Clay here has already pointed out, you had every intention of expelling Midoriya if he had fallen short of your expectations, but you changed your mind which must mean you now see potential in him, the same potential I see!"

"It sounds like you've been on this kid Midoriya's side from the start," said Aizawa, causing All Might to react nervously. "Well you see-," All Might tried to say as Aizawa began walking away. "I'll admit he does have a little potential," said Aizawa, "I would've kicked him out otherwise, it's cruel to let someone dream of something they obviously can't attain." "So are we done here," asked Clay as his Uncle continued walking away.

"I'll let you off the hook this time," Aizawa answered, "But don't expect any special treatment in the future." "Hadn't planned on it," said Clay as his Uncle continued walking out of sight. Clay let out a sigh as he turned back to All Might. "I know he seems like a prick now," said Clay, "But in his own special way he does care."

"I just hope it doesn't turn into a problem," said All Might, "Anyway you'd best get home young man, because tomorrow you'll be dealing with me!" The number one hero pointed a thumb to himself as he flashed his usual winning smile. "Looking forward to it," said Clay as he turned and started walking back towards the school building.

The Next Day

In addition to UA's hero courses, it also had regular school courses such as English, math, etc. Clay had no problem with English, being from America himself, but Slade, well. "What do you mean I need it to be in the possessive form?" exclaimed Slade as Clay tried to explain it to him again. "Because it belongs to the boat in this sentence," explained Clay, "You put it in the possessive form."

"Why in the world do inanimate objects own stuff in English?" Slade groaned. "Just the way they structured the language," said Clay as they moved onto the next sentence. Gosh this is # # # boring, everyone else was thinking.

Of course the situation was reversed when they got to math class. "So I subtract the three and then multiply it by the number remaining or do I-," "No you keep the three," said Slade, stopping Clay from making a mistake as he once again explained the problem to Clay, and in this case Mina, who admitted she wasn't so great at math herself.

"You leave it as it is and multiply it by the remaining number," explained Slade, "Come on I explained this one to ya in middle school!" "Uh yeah," said Clay, laughing nervously as he rubbed the back of his head nervously, "I kind of forgot it after the test." "I never really got it in the first place," Mina admitted with her own bout of nervous laughter. "Oh this is gonna be a long year," said Slade as he rubbed the bridge of his nose.

After morning classes we have lunch which is served by none other than the cook hero Lunch Rush. "Hey uh Midoriya," said Clay as his friend was still staring after the pro hero with his usual fanboy gleam in his eyes, "You still need to actually eat the food ya know." "Yeah sure," said Midoriya as grabbed some of the food Lunch Rush had set down and started eating, while still doing his classic fanboy stare in Lunch Rush's direction.

"Some days I think he might actually have some kind of problem," Said Clay as he finished another drink. "You should talk," said Mina, her usual happy smile on her face, "You must've drank at least two-liters of water and soda already, keep it up and you'll be in the bathroom for the rest of the next class."

"Believe it or not," said Slade, "It doesn't work that way for him." "Really, how so," Asked Uraraka from another part of the table. "You've heard the explanation enough Slade," said Clay, "Why don't you break it down for them."

"Well if I remember correctly," said Slade as he pointed to Clay, "Clay's quirk, as you know, allows him to produce a cloud-like substance from pretty much anywhere on his body, and one of the components of this substance is of course the moisture from his body, have I got that right so far?" "So far so good," replied Clay.

"Now since the moisture in the body is not unlimited, Clay can only produce a certain volume of his clouds before he becomes dehydrated," Slade continued, "Fortunately, he can hold a higher volume of liquid in his body than a normal person, so he keeps himself hydrated as much as possible should he ever need to use his quirk at maximum volume."

"Did he miss anything Midoriya," Clay asked, finally snapping his friend out of his nerdy stupor. "Uh no," said Midoriya, "I remember you explained this to me once, but I still can't believe how much you can drink." "A blessing and a curse," said Clay as he filled up his glass with even more soda, "You would not believe what we spend on drinks at my house."

"I know what you spend on drinks at your house," said Slade, "But I got another question, can you explain my quirk?" "Well," said Clay as he scratched his chin, "I can't explain all the physics stuff, but to put it in simple terms, you're altering your body's density, which unlike body hardening, you're manipulating the inward toughness of your body which also affects your weight to an incredible degree."

"Keep going," said Slade. "And also unlike body hardening, once you change your density it usually stays that way until you change it again," Clay explained, "So you can make yourself super dense and heavy, but it slows you down the denser you get, or you can make yourself super light and hop around like an acrobat, but at the cost of becoming far more vulnerable."

"Right on the money," said Slade as he and Clay fist bumped. "An interesting pair of quirks you have," said Iida, who'd been fairly silent up to this point, "It will be interesting to see what you can do with them in the next class." "Oh yeah I almost forgot," said Clay, "We've been looking forward to the next class all day."

Class 1A: Hero Training

At long last, thought Clay as he and the rest of the students waited for the new teacher for the most important class in UA, hero training. "I AM HERE!" a familiar voice suddenly sounded, one recognized by the world, "Coming through the door like a regular person!" said All Might as his massive frame leaned into the door.

"Wow it's really him," said Sero as everyone else murmured excitedly. Clay simply smiled as All Might strode into the room. "Hey he's wearing his silver age costume," said a girl with a quirk that gave her frog-like abilities, Mina had called her Asui, and she was right, Clay observed as he looked at the red and white costume with gold arm bands and a large blue cape.

"Welcome everyone to hero class, think of it as Heroing 101 if it helps, here you'll learn the basics of being a Pro Hero and what it means to fight for justice and good!" Bellowed All Might, "I hope you're ready because today's lesson pulls no punches!" All Might dramatically pulled out a white card with the word 'BATTLE' written in large letters.

"Real combat," said Midoriya nervously. "Alright!" said Slade as he brought his fist to his hand, "I can finally put some of my theories to the test!" "Don't you mean you finally get to hit something," said Clay. "It's all physics!" exclaimed Slade, too excited to care.

"Now another important part of a being a hero is looking great!" Shouted All Might as he pointed to the wall as several panels slid out, each one with a corresponding number on it. "These were designed based on the quirk registration and request forms you sent in before the start of this semester!" The entire class cheered at the sight of the costumes as All Might told them to suit up.

UA Locker Rooms

"Hey Clay," said Midoriya as they were getting their hero uniforms on, "I've been meaning to ask, how did you and Slade get those scars, I've never seen them before?" "Oh this," said Clay as he indicated the old burn mark on his upper right arm, "Me and Slade ran into some trouble a little while back, got caught up in a fire caused by a villain." "You what!" gasped Midoriya.

"Relax," said Slade as he turned around and displayed the burn mark on his back, "We weren't actually in the fire, we just got struck by a couple bits of flaming debris, the only reason we even have the scars is because it took them a bit of time to get someone with a healing quirk to the scene." "I had no idea," said Midoriya, "Is that why you both decided to become heroes, you survived a villain attack?"

"Oh yeah, we never got the chance to tell you after the exam," said Clay as he bonked himself on the head, "Completely slipped our minds over the week." "Hey I'm following the agreement," said Slade, "I'm becoming a hero because you decided to become a hero, gotta make sure my best friend ain't doing anything stupid."

"Wait is that really all?" asked Midoriya. "Well I also wanna do my part and help out," said Slade, "But we made an agreement a while back that if one of us wanted to become a hero, then we'd both give it a shot, just like we agreed a long time ago to watch each other's backs."

"So then why did you want to become a hero all of a sudden," asked Midoriya, "I always remember you saying you never really thought about it." "I hadn't thought about it much," said Clay, "Until about two years ago, when I saw the power of a Pro Hero and what they were capable of, let's just say it inspired me and gave me some direction in my life that I didn't know I needed."

"So you wanted to be like the Pro Hero," asked Midoriya. "It's more like I finally realized that there was so much more I could be learning and doing, and what better way to realize ones potential these days than by trying to be a hero," Explained Clay as he slid on the coat component of his outfit.

"That does make sense," said Midoriya as he held his chin in thought. "Now don't you need to be getting your costume on?" Questioned Slade. "Oh right," said Midoriya as he headed over to his locker to finish putting on his costume.

"Not gonna tell him the whole story yet?" Whispered Slade as they were finishing putting on their outfits. "I haven't even told Uncle Aizawa the whole story yet," Clay whispered back, "Have you?" "Nope," replied Slade, "The fact that we were dealing with a 'former' Pro Hero would likely not be very popular around here."

"Then we stick to what we've been doing the last two years," said Clay as he positioned a face mask over his nose, mouth, and eyes, "Only tell the whole story if we need too." With that, the discussion was ended as they made their way to training area beta.

Training Area Beta

Gotta hand it to the guys who came up with the clothing allowance, thought Clay as he walked out of the tunnel into the training area with everyone else, they sure can make a costume. Clay's hero costume consisted of a specially made coat which was colored black, white, and blue with the symbol of a shelf-cloud on the back. He also wore black pants with a blue line down the side of them and gray boots which had specially made vents on the bottom and sides of them.

Rounding out the look was a pair of black gloves and a face mask which covered his face and a bit of the back of his head, with a pair of goggles which could detach from the rest of the face mask in case he needed to remove one or the other. The material was battle-tested and was supposed to help stop knives and some types of bullets, and he also had specialized pads on his knees, elbows and shoulders which allowed him to produce his clouds from almost any point on the costume.

In comparison, Slade's outfit seemed quite light, with somewhat baggy pants, boots and a sleeveless shirt which looked like dragon-scale armor. A strange symbol which looked like a scribbled neutron was on both the front and back of his shirt. "Now those are some costumes!" Exclaimed All Might, "You all look so cool!"

Clay looked around at the rest of the class and the large variety of costumes they were wearing. Some looked cool, others looked goofy, some were flashy, and some seemed down right impractical at first glance. But the one person Clay didn't see was Midoriya, until he turned around and looked behind him. Midoriya had donned a very unique outfit, one which reminded him of a kind of green track suit with a utility belt, white gloves, and a mask which made him look like some kind of rabbit. Clay was a little confused at first until he looked at All Might, who was cringing at the sight of the outfit.

Oh I get it now, thought Clay as he looked back and forth between the two, it's supposed to be kind of like All Might's look, so much for being subtle. "Well now that we're all here," said All Might, "Let's begin today's combat training!"

"Sir," said Iida, whose costume looked like a kind of sleek armor with a pair of engine exhausts, "This is the same area we used for the entrance exam, will we be conducting more urban battles?" "Not quite!" Answered All Might, "We'll be going two steps ahead of that, you see most villain fights on the news take place outside, but according to statistics most villain encounters take place indoors!"

Everyone nodded their heads at this. "Back room deals, home invasions, and secret underground lairs," explained All Might, "The truly intelligent villain stays in the shadows, so for this exercise you'll all be split into teams of two, fighting as either hero or villain in an indoor setting!"

"This seems a little advanced," said Asui, the frog girl. "The best experience is what's learned out on the battlefield," answered All Might, "And unlike the entrance exam you'll be fighting actual people!"

"Do we have to worry about getting expelled," "Are you conducting the exercise," "Isn't this cape magnificent?" A number of students bombarded All Might with questions until Clay finally spoke up. "You know if you let him finish talking first he could answer some of these," said Clay, before he realized how loud he'd actually said it, "Uh just a thought."

"Thank you Mr. Cero," said All Might as he pulled out a script, "Now listen up, here's the scenario, the villains have a nuclear device hidden somewhere in the building, it's the hero's job to find this device and the villain's job is to prevent it." He didn't steal that script from an action movie set did he, thought Clay as he listened to the directions. "Now the heroes win if they're able to capture the villains or secure the weapon, and likewise the villains win if they can capture the heroes or keep them from the weapon until time runs out."

All Might then proceeded to pull out a large yellow box with a hole in the top. "Now it's time to select the teams, so everyone draw lots." "Is this the best method for this scenario sir," Asked Iida.

"It makes sense actually," said Midoriya, "Pros often have to team up with heroes from other agencies they're not familiar with." "I see, life is quite random at times," said Iida as he bowed to All Might, "Forgive my rudeness."

"No sweat," said All Might, "Now let the drawing begin!" Everyone proceeded to draw lots and, much to their surprise, Clay and Slade got paired up, and much to Midoriya's surprise he got paired with Uraraka. "Now to select the first teams to battle!" said All Might as he reached into two boxes, one marked hero and the other villain and pulled out two balls, each with a letter on it, "These two!"

A and D, thought Clay, oh crap that means Midoriya's team is gonna go up against Bakugo's team. "Team A is the heroes and team D is the villains!" declared All Might. As everyone was being directed to the monitoring room, Clay stopped by Midoriya, who was clearly nervous about going up against his childhood friend turned bully.

"Midoriya," said Clay, snapping his friend out of his thoughts, "Some advice my Uncle always gave me: the mind is the best weapon of all, so just stay at least one or two moves ahead of him and you'll do fine." "I'll try," said Midoriya as he did his best to calm his nerves.

"Hey you're the best quirk analyst I've ever met," said Clay as he turned to leave, "If there's anyone who can predict Bakugo's line of thinking, it's you, so give him a fight he won't forget." "Right," said Midoriya, "I will." Clay nodded as he turned and headed inside with everyone else.

Training Center Monitoring room:

"And begin!" declared All might over the intercom as he and the rest of the hero class watched the monitors. "I really wish we could hear what they're saying," said Slade as they watched Midoriya and Uraraka sneak in through one of the windows.

"I provided them with ear pieces to communicate," said All Might as he pointed to one in his own ear, "And a map of the building." "But obviously the heroes are at a disadvantage," said a student with a literal falcon head, "The villains already have the lay of the land." "Heroes often are at a disadvantage, but beating the odds is part of being a pro," said All Might as they continued to watch the feed.

Suddenly, Bakugo jumped out of one the hallways and attacked with his explosion quirk. "A sneak attack that's low dude," said Kirishima as they continued to watch. "He's playing the part," Said All Might, "To a villain such an attack is a viable strategy." "Yeah but he dodged it anyway," yelled Mina excitedly as they continued to watch the fight unfold.

"I wish it was all acting," said Slade, his eyes still glued to the screen, "But Bakugo's never been one for pretending, he's completely serious." "So is Midoriya," said Clay as they watched Bakugo charge Midoriya, until the green-haired boy managed to seize his right arm, fully predicting his attack before he twisted his whole body and managed to flip Bakugo over onto the floor. "Wow he saw that move coming," said Kaminari, "How?" "Because he's watched him fight for years, just like he's watched hundreds of other quirk users," said Clay, "And he's taken note of everyone one of them, too bad Bakugo didn't listen to me a couple years back."

"What exactly did you tell him," asked Kirishima. Clay smiled as he spoke, "Don't # # with a nerd!"

 **Let the combat training begin! Hello everyone, sorry for the slight delay with this one but you know, Labor Day weekend and all that. Also gotta say, wow over 500 views, so a huge thank you to all my reviewers, followers, and viewers who've kept up with and commented on this story so far. Be sure to drop by next time as Clay and Slade demonstrate their own unique brand of teamwork. 'Til next time everyone.**


	7. Their Friend, The Nerd's Determination

**Their Friend, the Nerd's Determination**

You can do this Midoriya, thought Clay as he watched the scene unfold on the monitors. As expected, Bakugo attacked head on again, this time with a kick which Midoriya was able to block with both arms raised, using the capture tape All Might had given each participant to ensnare Bakugo's leg. "You didn't show him that move did you," whispered Slade, noting how Midoriya seemed to be imitating Eraser Head.

"Nope," replied Clay with a knowing, unseen smirk, "He figured it out on his own." As they watched, Bakugo blasted the wall in another attempt to hit Midoriya, as the green-haired boy dodged out of the way. After waiting for Bakugo's next move, Midoriya broke into a run down one of the many hallways.

He's trying to avoid fighting him in close range now, Clay observed as Bakugo chased after Midoriya, completely forgetting about Uraraka, but he's also led that explosive douche away from his partner. As Bakugo lost sight of his prey, he stood in the hallway yelling at the top of his lungs as small explosions erupted from his hand. "He's got serious anger issues," said Kaminari as they watched Bakugo seethe with rage on the monitors, "It's a bit scary to be honest."

"He's always had a massive ego," Clay said while still watching the monitors, "People have told him he's special his entire life and he's just now finding out that he's not as big of a hot shot as he once thought." "Oh yeah I forgot to ask," said Mina, "What is your history with that guy?"

A frown crossed Clay's face and could be heard in his voice as he spoke. "We met the guy shortly after we became friends with Midoriya, they went to the same middle school so it was bound to happen," explained Clay, "For obvious reasons me and Slade's views about quirks not being the only measure of a person clashed with Bakugo's arrogant belief that having a flashy quirk was everything."

"That and he was just an ##," said Slade, "Why someone didn't try stamping his guts out before us is a mystery to me."

"That seems a little over the top," said Hakagure, whose hero outfit was only comprised of a pair of blue gloves for some reason. "We never were able to get into a full on fight with the guy," said Slade, "Always a teacher around or someone else breaking up the fight, and as much as we wanted to fight, Midoriya didn't want us getting into trouble."

"But if you think our view of him is harsh, you may want to keep watching before you make up your mind," said Clay as Bakugo finally managed to corner Midoriya, "You might change your perspective."

Bakugou wasted no time in proving Clay and Slade's point as he activated a pin in his gauntlet which would allow him to fire a much larger scale explosion, and at range. "Young Bakugo stop!" exclaimed All Might over his microphone, "That could kill him!" Bakugo wasn't listening, obviously, and pulled the pin on his grenade-style gauntlet, sending out a large blast which blew a wide whole through the side of the building.

"Wo this is crazy!" Exclaimed Kirishima. "Midoriya," called All Might, "Midoriya come in!" That # #head, thought Clay as they watched the smoke clear on the monitors, revealing Midoriya to be relatively okay, with only the rest of his mask and the right sleeve to his costume missing.

"Okay that's it!" Slade exclaimed angrily as he turned and headed for the door. "Young Mason," said All Might as he put a hand on Slade's shoulder to stop him, "Where exactly are you going?" "It should be obvious," Said Slade, an aggravated tone grating his voice, "I'm going down there to stop this!"

"I'm afraid I can't allow that," stated All Might. "If someone doesn't stop this now," Slade nearly yelled as he grabbed All Might's massive hand with both of his, "Midoriya might get killed and since you clearly aren't gonna do it." Slade quickly increased his density, causing the ground to crack more and more beneath his feet, forcing All Might to greatly tighten his grip, not only to keep Slade from breaking his hold on his shoulder, but also to keep him from collapsing the floor.

"He may be posturing quite a bit," said All Might, with a trace of actual strain in his voice, "But he has no intention of actually killing Midoriya." "Have you not been watching!" Exclaimed Slade, casting a furious glare at their teacher, "If that prick is allowed to continue using zero restraint in this fight, he'll kill Midoriya whether he intends to or not!"

"I hadn't planned on allowing it in the first place," said All Might as he held up the mike and spoke into it, "Bakugo, if you use that attack again I will stop this fight and your team will lose!" That seemed to get the explosion quirk user's attention as he looked up towards the monitor.

"Using such a large scale attack inside risks destroying the fortress you're trying to protect," explained All Might, "A poor strategy for a hero or a villain and in this case the penalty would be a massive loss of points."

Bakugo was clearly not happy about the declaration, but to a degree he seemed to understand. "That should be the end of any other problems," said All Might, still having to keep his grip on Slade tight, "Now will you stand down young Mason?" Instead of answering right away, Slade glanced at Clay, who'd been staring intently at the monitors the whole time, his arms crossed in an incredibly rigid posture.

"If he's gonna be a hero someday," said Clay, "You and I can't keep protecting him all the time." Slade didn't look thrilled with the answer, but he let his density drop just the same, allowing All Might to finally release his grip on him as he went over and stood next to Clay. "I still don't like it," said Slade as he noticed some small clouds gathered around Clay's feet.

"I don't like it either," said Clay, clenching his fist causing the clouds at his feet to compress into spiky, deformed shapes, "But if I know Midoriya, he wouldn't want us to interfere, not when he finally has a chance to prove himself against Bakugou." Slade simply grunted at this statement as the fight between Midoriya and Bakugou resumed.

But, unlike before, Bakugou was ready and used his quirk to maneuver around any attack Midoriya attempted. "Surprising," said a student whose hair was white on one side and red on the other, Todoroki, Momo had called him at one point, "He doesn't seem like one for strategy but using his quirk like that is actually quite intelligent?"

"It requires a good understanding of physics and precision with one's quirk to pull it off," Added Momo as they watched Bakugou flip over Midoriya using small explosions to change his direction and blast him in the back. "It's more like trained or instinctual movement than actual intelligence if you ask me," said Clay, "He's likely using moves he's practiced before, much like a soldier training for combat."

"Great he's super talented," said Kaminari, "Man do I hate that." Clay and Slade were inclined to agree as they watched Bakugou continue to pummel Midoriya before grabbing him and using his quirk to slam him on the ground.

"Can't he just wrap tape around him," Said Mina, "I feel like I'm watching someone slowly get killed!" "Midoriya was doing amazing at the start of this thing," said Kaminari, "But he's completely outmatched in fighting power."

"It explains why he's gotta run," said Kirishima as Midoriya scrambled to the other end of the room, "Not exactly manly, but he's outclassed unless he can come up with a plan of some sort."

More like a last resort, thought Clay as he recalled the footage from the entrance exam, and the broken state his friend had been in after using it. As they continued to watch, Midoriya shouted out his determination at Bakugou before charging straight at him. I don't know what he said, thought Clay, but I've seen that determined look only a couple of times before, when he was putting everything he had into something.

Clay glanced at All Might, noting the teacher's hand was shaking as he seemed to be struggling to keep his expression neutral and not call off the match. "Sir you have to stop this," Said Kirishima, a note of panic in his voice, "They're fixing to kill each other!" All Might hesitated for another few moments, enough time for Bakugou and Midoriya to get within arm's length of each other as Midoriya's arm crackled with energy and Bakugou's hand glowed orange, ready to blow.

"Both of you STOP!" Ordered All Might over the microphone. "Now Uraraka!" yelled Midoriya as he directed his right fist, the one crackling with power upwards toward the ceiling, releasing a shockwave which blasted a hole through not only the ceiling above them, but through every floor until it shot out of the roof of the training area. So you managed a plan after all, thought Clay as he released a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding.

With a quick look at one of the other monitors, he could see Uraraka using the debris as an improvised attack by floating it with her quirk and knocking it towards Iida to with a pillar she had decreased the gravity on. Iida was too confused by the turn of events to stop her as she then floated over his head and grabbed a hold of the weapon, or rather snuggled it, Clay couldn't tell if she was intentionally trying to be cute.

Turning his attention back to the other monitor, the clearing smoke revealed Midoriya, with a broken and bruised right arm and a left arm with a serious burn on it from Bakugou's explosion. But the look in his eyes said it all as Midoriya collapsed to the floor. "The Hero team WINS!" declared All Might as the rest of the hero class stared in stunned silence. A smile crossed Clay's face beneath his mask, until he caught Slade slipping from the room and followed after him.

"I know what you're gonna do," said Clay as he caught up to Slade and fell into step beside him. "So you come to stop me?" Questioned Slade, keeping his eyes forward as they reached the floor Midoriya and Bakugou was on. "Not at all," said Clay, "I actually have an idea." Slade cracked an evil grin at the sound of that.

It was an even more impressive sight in person as the two friends slipped into the destroyed room unnoticed, or they would've been noticed if Midoriya wasn't unconscious and Bakugou wasn't staring at his hand in shock. "Just one should be all that's needed right now," Whispered Clay as clouds began drifting from his feet along the floor. Slade nodded as he circled around.

"Bakugou," called Clay, surprising the explosion quirk user more than he expected. "Wha-," Bakugou was about to say when the clouds from the floor shot up, obscuring his vision and causing him to instinctively raise his left arm. Slade rushed in in the next instant, slamming his fist through Bakugou's gauntlet and nailing him in the side of the face, sending him flying to the ground.

"W-what the heck was that for you B # ## s," A stunned Bakugou yelled back. "What do ya think," said Slade, "You've had it coming the whole match, do you have any idea how close you came to killing him?" "I-I wasn't gonna kill him," Bakugou shot back, "Just pound him into the weak pulp that he's supposed to be!"

"And that involved irresponsibly using stored up power that blew out part of the building," Questioned Clay, a serious tone in his voice, "You clearly don't understand self-restraint, I'm more than a little tempted to break your remaining gauntlet just to make sure you can't use it again." "Did you come all the way down here to pick a fight!" Exclaimed Bakugou.

"What for," asked Slade as he turned away from Bakugou and headed towards Midoriya to check on him. "I think what he means to say is it wouldn't change anything at this point," said Clay, "You lost, no matter how you slice it, Midoriya beat you." The same panicked look which Bakugou had had when they walked in the room returned to his face.

"That's enough!" Bellowed All Might as he walked in the room with a pair of robots carrying a stretcher, "I'll take it from here you two, we still have a class in session so head back up to the control room." "Sure thing sir," said Clay as the robots went over and put Midoriya on the stretcher, "Just take care of Midoriya."

"Remember who you're talking to young man!" Said All Might with a thumbs up, "He's in good hands." "Thank you sir," said Clay as he and Slade exited the room.

"Ah now that felt good," said Slade as he rubbed his knuckles, "I had hoped we'd be able to get through the first week without an incident, but # # he had that coming." "No kidding," said Clay, "I think I'm gonna put a word in with Uncle Aizawa and see if he can't get the hero support department to run into a couple of 'delays' repairing his gauntlet."

"Nah," said Slade, "That priceless look on his face was more than enough, and now I'm more pumped than ever for this hero course, when do you think our turn is gonna be?" "Not soon enough," answered Clay, "Not soon enough."

 **Not soon enough indeed, after seeing that match, what will Clay and Slade pull out in their fight? All that aside, hello everyone, first allow me to apologize for such a short chapter after such a long wait, but life's kept me busy lately and my writing time has been limited. It's also possible my next chapters for my stories may have some slight delays as well, but don't worry, I am still working on them. So I'd like to say thank you all for having such patience my reviewers, followers, and viewers and for continuing to send me comments with ideas for how to improve my stories or just plain encouragement, it's more helpful than you know. Stop in next chapter as Clay and Slade finally show the hero class their own brand of teamwork. 'Til next time.**


	8. Cloud Rains Stone

**Cloud Rains Stone**

Training Ground Monitoring Room:

Everyone, except for Midoriya who was in the nurse's office, had gathered in front of the main monitor as All Might displayed the teams overhead on a different screen, with a 'Win' underneath hero team A and a 'Lose' underneath the villains, team D. "Though the results for this exercise are quite clear," said All Might, "The MVP was actually young Iida."

A number of murmurs and a few gasps, especially from Iida, could be heard from the gathered students. "Shouldn't one of the heroes be the MVP," asked Asui, "They did win after all." "An excellent question," said All Might, "Can anyone guess why it was Iida?"

"I can sir," said Momo, quickly raising her hand, "Iida was the only one who fully adapted to his role in this challenge." Everyone was clearly confused by what she meant so she continued with her explanation.

"I'll elaborate," said Momo, "Bakugou let his judgement be clouded by his grudge with Midoriya, to the point that he, as you pointed out earlier, foolishly launched a large scale attack inside and risked disaster, and Midoriya's plan wasn't well thought out either given the damage he inflicted upon himself, as for Uraraka she let her guard down in the middle of the battle and used an imprecise final move which could've hypothetically set the weapon off had it been real."

Well she's on a roll, thought Clay as Momo went on with her explanation. "Iida had a strategy in place and never lost sight of his mission to protect the weapon even if he didn't succeed in the end," said Momo, causing Iida to grin like an idiot, "While the hero team did technically win, it was only by taking advantage of the fact that this was training."

All Might was speechless for a moment, probably meaning Momo had hit every single nail on the head. "I like her," said Slade, "She's smart." "Well she only missed a couple things," said All Might. "Can I ask a question first?" said Slade suddenly. "Yes young Mason," said All Might.

"Are we assuming the villains are a couple of # # idiots?" Asked Slade. "I don't catch your meaning," said All Might.

"Well I know Momo here just pointed out that Uraraka's attack was reckless given the presence of the weapon, again a good observation on her part, but if I recall the scenario was a nuclear device," said Slade, "In this case a warhead which is normally set off by a type of trigger or sensor and not by random impacts, unless the villains were dumb enough to obtain a highly unstable warhead with a faulty trigger."

"Well as you said that was the scenario," said All Might as he put his hand to his chin, trying to think of an explanation, "But a hero should always be on the cautious side, in this case I did say a nuclear device, but a seasoned veteran knows not to take chances and risk hitting a destructive doomsday weapon unless they know for an absolute fact that an attack won't set it off."

"Got it," said Slade, "Villains are # # # idiots in this scenario." "You know the way karma works," said Clay, "We'll probably be the next villains." If a few students weren't snickering before, they were now.

"Speaking of which," said All Might, "Let's move on to the next match and try to remember everything you learned from what we saw earlier." "Yes sir!" everyone answered as All Might selected the next teams.

"So who do you think is gonna win this one," asked Clay as they watched the next match begin to unfold, this time in a different building thanks to all the damage from Midoriya's match. "Well I know Hagakure and Ojiro are our friends," said Slade, "But if what I heard from Momo is correct, the guy whose costume has ice on half his body, Todoroki, got in on a recommendation meaning his quirk or his abilities or both are pretty exceptional."

"My money says his quirk is ice something," said Clay as they watched the two enter the building. Shoji used his dupli-arm quirk to quickly locate both of them before he was apparently asked to leave the building. In another moment, everyone saw why as Todoroki used his quirk to create a layer of ice around the entire building, the entire # #ing building.

"As you c-can see," said All Might as he and just about everyone else stood shivering while watching Todoroki capture the weapon, "H-he was able t-to win without compromising his t-team or the w-weapon." "Looks like you were only half-right," said Slade as they watched Todoroki unfreeze the weapon and the rest of the building, "He generates heat too."

"I guess he would be tough," said Asui, "He did get in on a recommendation." "Yeah it's kind of intimidating," said Kaminari. I just hope he can't blast ice out of his hand too, thought Clay, he already seems to have a good range just touching the ground.

"Alright everyone gather round for the next review and then on to the next match," said All Might as everyone answered, "Yes sir."

The review was pretty simple, given how quickly the match went, and not much of an explanation was needed. Wonder who's going next, thought Clay with anticipation as All Might reached into the two boxes and pulled out the lettered balls. "And the villain team for this round will be team J," said All Might as he indicated Sero and Kirishima, "And the hero team shall be K!"

Team K, thought Clay, oh crap that's us! "Yeah finally!" exclaimed Slade as he brought his hand to his fist. "Aw man I've been waiting for this," said Kirishima excitedly with clenched fists as he turned to Slade, "I heard you crashed into a zero point villain, I can't wait to find out who's stronger!"

"Stronger, heavier," said Slade with a gleam in his eye that only Clay and Midoriya knew, "I'll take on whatever you can throw at me!" He always gets overly excited about this kind of stuff, thought Clay as Kirishima and Slade continued their little back and forth, not that I blame him, after all, it's time to show the rest of the hero class what we can do.

Outside of Battle Building C

"So what's the game plan here," asked Clay as he stretched his arms, "Through the front door, bust down a wall, make funny comments about their costumes and see if they try coming after us?" "We're on a time limit," said Slade, "So as much fun as it would be, I don't think we have time to goad them out of there and bashing through walls will probably be too risky given the scenario."

"Well how's about," Clay said as he looked upwards at the building, "Goin' in through the window." Slade seemed to consider this idea for a moment. "So dropping the bomb huh," said Slade with a slight smirk, "I can get behind that." The horn sounded then as All Might gave the signal to go over the loud speaker.

"That's our cue," said Slade as he crouched down while Clay created clouds around his feet and hopped onto Slade's shoulders. "Let the hailstorm begin!" said Clay, using a catch phrase he'd come up with in middle school. "Never thought you'd go with that catchphrase," said Slade, "But to heck with it let's go!"

Inside Building C

"And that should do it," said Sero as he finished putting up the last bit of tape from his arms, creating a screen of tape surrounding the fake warhead, "I don't know what all Clay can do with those clouds of his, but he won't be able to just fly in with all of this around here."

"And I should be able to keep Slade away with a few good punches," said Kirishima as he hardened his body, "At least until time runs out." "How do you think they're gonna attack anyway," asked Sero.

"Beats me," replied Kirishima, "The biggest advantage they got, at least that I know of is Clay may try pulling a smokescreen trick on us, so if they do that I want you to tape up that whole area before the smoke gets to us."

"This is of course assuming they're gonna come at us with a smokescreen," said Sero. "Well I mean what else can they come at us with," asked Kirishima.

"Do you see them," asked Slade as Clay circled around the building on a cloud bigger than his whole body, checking the windows on each floor as quickly as he could. "Yeah I see 'em," said Clay as he spotted the telltale markings of the faux weapon, "I also see a bunch of tape surrounding it."

"Leave that to me," said Slade, "Just fling me in as hard as you can." "No problem," replied Clay, as he circled around near the building and then dove towards the window in a style similar to an airplane about to drop a bomb. "Human cloud bomb!" they both exclaimed at the same time as Clay stopped short and flung Slade from the cloud beneath his feet at the window.

"What the heck?" exclaimed Sero and Kirishima as Slade came crashing through the window, quickly increasing his density as he ran into the first line of tape. It held for a few seconds and then suddenly snapped under Slade's increasing weight. The next few strands broke as well until Slade impacted against the floor, causing a massive number of cracks to form beneath him as the floor nearly collapsed under his feet.

Whoops, thought Slade as he quickly decreased his density to keep from falling through the floor, that tape is stronger than I thought. "Oh no you don't!" exclaimed Kirishima as he charged forward. But before he got too close, a small cloud flew in, obscuring his vision and causing his punch to go off target as Slade sidestepped him.

Sero readied his arms to throw out more tape in the direction where the cloud had come from, but he quickly found he was facing the wrong direction as Clay jumped out from behind a pillar, his hands and feet now covered in cloud matter as he kicked Sero in the back, knocking him over, while he moved over to where Slade was. "Well that worked," said Clay as he stood back to back with Slade.

"It got us in anyway," said Slade as they assessed the situation. Kirishima was managed to get back between them and the weapon while Sero was behind them. "You're not getting past me!" declared Kirishima as he rushed at Slade.

"Break," Said Clay and Slade at the same time as they moved towards their opponents. Sero immediately flung out some of his tape at Clay, who only managed to move back enough to keep his whole body from getting snared. The tape still managed to snake around his right arm as Sero tried yanking him off his feet.

Clay stumbled and rolled as Sero attempted to reel him in. "Try flying with those clouds now," said Sero with a smile under his helmet. "If you insist," said Clay as he jumped off the floor, propelled by the clouds around his feet. A surprised Sero reeled back as he lost his balance, while his original anchor point came flying right for him and delivered a flying knee to his face.

"Uuuugh," grunted Sero as he was knocked to the floor. Moving quickly, Clay formed his clouds around Sero's elbows and feet, preventing him from not only using his quirk, but also from getting up for the moment. "Nice quirk," said Clay, "But I actually know how to use this kind of weapon."

Quickly demonstrating his meaning, Clay skillfully twirled Sero's tape, wrapping the confused student in his own quirk and rendering him immobile. "Hey dude what gives," said Sero as he tried freeing himself. "If you're not careful with your quirk it can be used against you," said Clay, "I learned that lesson the hard way a couple times."

"How heavy are you!" Exclaimed Kirishima, drawing Clay's attention as the hardening quirk user threw a right cross at Slade. Clay's friend had increased his density as much as he dared, which was still heavy enough to stop Kirishima in his tracks as he blocked one punch after another. "As heavy as I need to be," answered Slade as he managed to catch one of Kirishima's arms and twisted his body, tossing his opponent into a nearby pillar.

"Do ya need a hand," asked Clay as he watched Kirishima pick himself off the ground and charge Slade again. "Well," Said Slade as he changed his density enough to side-step Kirishima's charge before grabbing him from behind, "If you're up for the old home run."

"Coming up," said Clay as he produced a large amount of his clouds, forming a baseball bat style cloud, with spikes for good measure. "Hey what're you doing," questions a panicked Kirishima as Slade increases his density to the point where he manages to lift him off the ground despite his hardened body. "I suggest you keep yourself in a hardened state," said Slade as he begins spinning around, "Here's the wind up!"

"OH CRAP!" Exclaims Kirishima as Slade tosses him towards Clay, who swings the club-shaped cloud, using his manipulation of them to move it even faster at its maximum hardness as he bats Kirishima across the room and crashing out of another one of the windows.

"And he is OUTTA HERE!" yells Clay excitedly as he puts his hand above his eyes, making as if he's looking far away. "Nice batting," said Slade as they turned to the weapon. "Nice throw," replied Clay as they both touch the weapon at the same time.

"And that's it," said All Might from the control room before speaking into the mike, "HERO TEAM WINS!" "So how are you holding up," asked Clay as he and Slade started untangling Sero from his tape. "I took some good hits," replied Slade as he wrung out his arms a bit, "I couldn't go full density on the cracked floor and his body hardening was way tougher than I thought it'd be."

"I sometimes forget you can still get hurt even at high density," said Clay, "Sorry I didn't get in sooner, you might've taken a couple less hits." "It's fine," said Slade, "Just help me get the rest of this tape off of me." "And me too please," said Sero.

Training Area Monitoring Room

"Hey, again sorry for turning you into a freakin' baseball," said Slade as the two teams entered the monitoring room, "It probably wasn't the most heroic move we could've come up with." "Hey don't sweat it," said Kirishima with a thumbs up, "Part of my training for my quirk was actually jumping out of a building, but I will admit I never flew that fast out of one before."

"Try getting through some of the reality shows on American TV some time," said Clay, "Let me tell ya I've never wanted to jump out the nearest window so fast in my life." Sero snickered at that a bit as they stopped in front of the monitor with the other students.

"Alright let's review!" declared All Might in his now familiar booming voice, "First off this match's MVP is Slade Mason!" "I'm the what now?" asked Slade.

"That's right young man," said All Might with a thumbs up, "Anyone like to explain why?" As expected, Momo raised her hand first. "Anyone else know why," asked All Might. When no one else raised their hand All Might simply sighed and motioned for Momo to begin her explanation.

"Well to begin sir," said Momo, "Kirishima and Sero both were prepared for their opponent's arrival with an obstacle, yes, but they had little to no actual strategy for engaging their opponent's," Kirishima and Sero both laughed nervously at that, "As for Clay, he may have come up with the main strategy, but it was Slade who took on the most dangerous role, in this case allowing himself to be used as living ammunition for an attack and acting as a decoy against two opponents in order to give his teammate time to enter the room undetected, in fact it might not be far off to say that the plan wouldn't have succeeded at all if not for Slade."

"I think you're giving me too much credit," said Slade as he rubbed the back of his head. "I don't think so," said Kaminari, "You took all that punishment like a champ, and I mean come on, how many people can say they've been dropped from a cloud like a bomb?" "I still think you should at least mention Clay's skill," said Mina excitedly, "I mean come on he wrapped Sero up in his own scotch tape for crying out loud!"

"It's not actually scotch tape," said Sero half-heartedly. "And I just used a little trick I learned from a relative," said Clay with a shrug. "While Clay did perform well," said Momo, "That isn't the whole point of the exercise."

"Quite right," said All Might, "Truth be told everyone performed well in this exercise, but the one who most fulfilled his role was young Mason, who risked the possibility of capture by his opponent's to make an opening for his friend, remember, self-sacrifice is the most important trait for a hero!" "Yes sir!" everyone acknowledged. "Now onto the next match!"

The rest of the class went off without a hitch as they watched and reviewed match after match. Before they knew it the class was drawing to a close. "And that's a wrap for today," said All Might as they all stood outside near the entrance to the training area, "Everyone performed well and we had no major injuries except for Midoriya, you should all be proud."

"I'm just happy to hear some encouragement after our first day," said Asui, "Mr. Aizawa was kind of a mood killer." Everyone nodded their heads in agreement at this statement. "Yeah encouragement isn't really his strong suit," added Clay.

"I'm more than happy to bring an atmosphere of positivity to my alma mater," said All Might with outstretched arms, "Now I must go check on young Midoriya, so watch how a true hero exits." All Might turned towards the exit, "Like they gotta be someplace in a hurry!" With that final statement, All Might turned around and shot towards the exit like a bullet, leaving a large trail of dust in his wake.

"Man that's cool," said Kaminari. "Yeah but there's no way I'll ever run that fast," said Ojiro. "Try swinging away," said Clay as they all turned and headed for the exit, "Acrobatics is always cool to watch." "Yeah but what am I supposed to do," asked Kaminari, "I can't exactly make a bright light."

"Electrified salute and run," suggested Slade, "At least it's flashy." "I know I'd just skate away," said Mina, "What about you guys?" "I'd jump," said Slade simply.

"What that's it," asked Kirishima, "At least throw out a catchphrase or something." "Hey I don't do flashy," replied Slade, "But I can jump good." "How about you Clay?" asked Mina, "Any ideas for a cool exit."

"Well," Clay thought for a moment as he looked up at some passing clouds, "I might make a couple of neat shapes, then I'd fly away on my clouds to the next person that needed help, after all, the whole point of moving like you got somewhere to be is to hopefully get to the next place in time." Everyone seemed to consider this as they headed back towards the school building.

"So what kind of shapes would you make?" Asked Kaminari. "Well probably a giant thumbs up for the crowd and a giant # # ing middle finger for the villains," replied Clay. "Ladies and gentlemen I give you Clay," said Slade in an announcer-like voice, "The cloud douche." Everyone burst out laughing at that as Clay simply used his clouds to form a hand flipping the bird, making everyone laugh even more. Needless to say they referred to him as cloud douche for the rest of the day after that.

 **And so ends the first battle of team Hailstorm and their second class. Hello everybody, I hope you've all been doing well as I try to get these stories back to a more regular schedule. As for my reviewers, followers, and viewers, thanks for giving this story a read because Hailstorm is now over 1,000 views which is way beyond what I expected at this point so thanks again and keep the constructive criticism and ideas flowing because it can only help make this story better. And come on by next time as team Hailstorm faces one of the many rigors of Japanese high schools, choosing a class rep! Til next time**


	9. That Blasted Media

**That Blasted Media**

The Cero Residence

Now try this, thought Clay as he laid into the punching bag in the garage with a quick series of punches and kicks. Thanks to Uncle Aizawa and his parents, Clay had been able to convert part of the garage into a small personal training area so he could practice his hand to hand and occasionally his quirk, as well as do a bit of weightlifting and endurance training to keep in shape. But today he was only working on hand to hand, trying to keep his mind off of what he'd heard.

Stopping to rest for a moment, Clay found he still couldn't help his mind drifting back to the moment that had been nagging at him all evening. He'd been heading back to the class after failing to find Midoriya at the nurse's office, apparently Recovery Girl had sent him back to class and he'd missed him running down the hall. Clay had nearly gotten back to class when he say his injured friend, still in his hero costume with his arm in a cast, running down the stairs.

He'd thought it was pretty unusual at the time that Midoriya would be leaving while class was still in session and had followed him outside to the school entrance. But he stopped in the shadows of one of the pillars at the entrance when he saw why Midoriya had come running down there in the first place. Bakugou, thought Clay, the prick was leaving class early, clearly still sore about his loss to Midoriya. The real mystery, at least to Clay, was why his friend cared whether or not Bakugou was still at school.

As expected, Bakugou was his usual pissed off self, especially considering Midoriya was trying to talk to him. What caught Clay's attention, however, was what he heard next. "I wasn't hiding this quirk," said Midoriya, "It was given to me by someone else."

What! Clay almost said aloud as he poked his head a little further out from behind the pillar, listening far more intently to the conversation as Midoriya continued to explain that his power wasn't his own yet and that he still couldn't control it. He also declared even further that he would beat Bakugou. As for Clay, he was lost for words as he tried to process what had just been said.

As soon as Midoriya finished speaking to Bakugou, the explosion quirk user reacted more or less as expected, angrily. Clay was almost certain he'd have to step in as Bakugou seethed in rage, clearly not believing a word Midoriya had just said. But then the next surprise of the day happened, instead of Bakugou trying to attack Midoriya like he usually would, he simply declared that today would be the one and only time he'd be beaten by 'Deku' before turning and storming off.

Shortly after that, All Might had appeared, once again moving at an incredible speed for a guy his size. It was at this point that Clay figured he'd eavesdropped enough, especially considering how much he already had to ponder and had returned to class. He'd decided not to mention what he'd overheard until later.

So far 'later' meant he was still deciding on whether or not he should tell anyone, or even bring it up in his next conversation with Midoriya. What was an even bigger question to Clay was who else knew about the fact that Midoriya's quirk had been given to him and why he needed to keep it a secret in the first place. Deciding he'd rested enough, Clay began another series of moves as he started knocking the punching bag around again.

And why on earth, thought Clay with a hint of annoyance, does he think Bakugou of all people needs to know that his quirk was given to him? Clay finished his last series of hits with a nasty elbow strike. Well if I want answers, he thought to himself, I guess I'm gonna have to do some poking around, but I'm gonna need help to do that.

Clay took a moment to wipe some of the sweat off of himself before pulling out his phone. If there's one person I know I can trust with secrets, it's Slade, he reasoned. Clay began the call and after the third ring, Slade picked up. "What's up," said Slade over the phone. "I just learned a little something you may wanna hear," said Clay as he began his explanation.

UA Academy: The Next Day

"So tell me Clay," said Aizawa as they made their way along the sidewalk towards the entrance to UA, "Is something on your mind?" "Huh," said Clay, snapping out of his thoughts. "It's rare for you to be so quiet on the days I let you accompany me," said Aizawa, "I've given you more than enough logical advice about becoming too distracted, so tell me, what's on your mind?"

Clay let out a sigh before speaking. "I was just wondering," said Clay, "Is it possible for a quirk to be transferred or passed onto someone?" "Where's this coming from," asked Aizawa as they turned a corner. "Just a random thought," answered Clay.

"Well to be perfectly honest, I only know of one possible instance in history," said Aizawa, "There was an old legend once about someone who could supposedly acquire the quirks of others, but that was back during the chaotic days when quirks were first emerging and weren't well understood, to be honest it was probably just some guy with a powerful quirk who the media blew out of-." Aizawa stopped speaking as they noticed a rather large crowd surrounding the front entrance to UA. A crowd of, reporters.

"Speaking of the media," said Clay as they approached the mob of news crews. "They've been lying in wait for the past two days," said Aizawa, "I'm almost tempted to have you lift us over the wall with your quirk to avoid them." "Yeah but that would be against the rules while we're not on school grounds," stated Clay, who shared a good bit of his Uncle's opinion about the media being bothersome.

"Guess our only option is to slip in quietly while they're trying to interview someone else," said Aizawa. "Here's hoping they'll just ignore us," said Clay as they approached the media circus. Sadly, one of the reporters, a brown-haired woman who looked like she'd been there for a while, noticed them and approached them for an interview.

"Excuse me sir," said the woman as she held a microphone up to Aizawa, "Could you possibly get All Might for us, also you look like a wreck what's the deal?" "All Might's not on the campus right now," answered Aizawa as he waved his hand dismissively, "Now please vacate the premises, you've already disturbed my students enough." "And you're making it hard to get in the front gate," added Clay as they both turned around and walked through the gate.

"Hey," said the reporter as they walked away, "The people want to know how All Might's doing as a teacher!" "You want me to blast 'em with an 'accidental' cloud screen now that we're on campus," Clay whispered.

"As fun as I imagine that'd be for you," said Aizawa, "That won't be necessary." Shortly after he said that, an alarm sounded as a number of massive steel gates quickly rose up to block the entrance to the campus behind them.

"That's nearly as fun as what I was thinking," said Clay. "It's still a mystery to me how All Might gets anything done with those vultures stepping all over his cape," said Aizawa. "I guess it's just another part of what makes him the number one hero," Clay said with a shrug, "I'm sure as heck not looking forward to dealing with them in the future."

"Just do what I taught you and avoid them," said Aizawa, "The fewer nuisances you have to deal with in this line of work, the better." "Well if it worked for you," said Clay, "Why not."

Class 1A

"Alright," said Aizawa as everyone in the class sat and listened, "Decent work in combat training yesterday, I've reviewed all your scores and the footage from each match, Bakugou," The explosion quirk user glanced up at the mention of his name, "You've got talent, so don't sulk like a little kid about losing."

"Whatever," said Bakugou with a look of annoyance on his face. "And Midoriya," Aizawa continued, causing the green-haired student to tense up and avoid eye contact, "I saw that you shattered your arm again to win the match, you need to work harder, the excuse that you still can't control your quirk is already getting old." Midoriya nodded his head at the statement, still avoiding eye contact.

"You can't keep breaking your body while training here," Aizawa said, "But keep at it and your quirk will be quite useful, so show a bit of urgency." "Yes sir!" said Midoriya, gaining encouragement from Aizawa's last statement.

"Also, Clay," said Aizawa, making sure his nephew was listening, "I know you like using hand to hand as much as your quirk, but you do have ranged abilities, use them a bit more often."

"Can do," said Clay with a two-fingered salute. "And Slade," Aizawa turned his attention to the density quirk user, "Your quirk provides a good deal of protection, however you need to remember to take structural integrity of an area into consideration when you're altering your density, as for your teamwork, you executed your team attacks well, keep at it and you might make a good hero team someday."

"I'm already working on names," said Slade as he wrote another one down in a notebook. "Now then, onto the real business at hand," said Aizawa, "This first task will determine your future." Everyone seemed to be on the edge of their seats now, wondering if the erasure hero was going to test them, well almost everyone.

"It's time to pick a class representative," said Aizawa. Nearly the whole class visibly relaxed now that they knew it was just regular school stuff. "You know guys it'll save your nerves a bit if you wait 'til he's done speaking to freak out," said Clay. But the rest of the class didn't seem to hear him as people were already clamoring for the position of class rep.

"Hey pick me," said Kirishima. "I'm up for it," said Kaminari. "You'd definitely need help," said Jiro. "I CAN TOTALLY BE CLASS REP!" Mina practically yelled. Just about everyone in class was throwing their names in to be considered, even Midoriya. Clay simply sighed as he watched the scene unfold.

Ordinarily being a class rep just meant one had more work to do in the classroom, but here at UA it was one of a few ways for hero agencies to take notice of someone because it showed they possessed leadership ability. "So you gonna give it a shot," asked Slade, having to speak up a bit to be heard over the many voices in the class. "Well I gave it a LOT of thought," said Clay sarcastically, "And I'd have to say no, and no, heck no, # # no, and did I mention heck to the flipping no."

"Well you never were one for leadership positions," said Slade. "Not a school leadership position anyway," replied Clay, "Give me some time and experience in a hero agency and then we'll talk about leadership positions."

"Do you think I should run," asked Slade. "Only if you think you're ready to put up with all the class antics," said Clay.

"Silence everyone!" said Iida suddenly, which actually managed to get everyone to quiet down somehow, "A class representative is charged with leading others, a task that shouldn't be left up to just anyone." Oh this ought to be good, thought Clay as he sat up a little straighter to listen.

"One must first have the trust of everyone in the class," continued Iida, "So the most logical way to elect our representative is democratically, so we shall hold an election to choose our representative."

"Put your hand down first Iida," said Slade, pointing out the fact that Iida clearly wanted to be the one elected. "Is this really the best way," asked Kaminari.

"We've only been around each other for a few days," Asui said, "How can we know who to trust?" "And won't everyone just vote for themselves," added Kirishima.

"Most will yes," answered Iida, "But that means the one who receives more votes is clearly the most suitable person for the job," Iida turned to Aizawa for confirmation, "This is the best way, correct?" "Do what you want," said Aizawa, "Just decide before my nap's over." With that, their teacher once again zipped up his large yellow sleeping bag and went right to napping on the floor.

"Believe me Iida he doesn't care how we do it," said Clay, "We could play hide and seek and name the last one found class rep and he'd accept it." "It'd probably work out the same way as this vote," said Slade as everyone got to writing their votes down.

A Few Minutes Later

A list of names was written on the board in order from the least to the greatest number of votes. What surprised Clay, was the fact that he and Slade both had a single vote. How did we both wind up with a vote, thought Clay. But the bigger surprise was who was at the top of the chart.

"Why do I have three votes?" Exclaimed Midoriya as he saw his name at the top of the board. "Alright!" Yelled Bakugou, "Which of you idiots voted for him?"

"I don't believe that's any of your damn business match box," said Clay. "You wanna say that again," snarled Bakugou as he turned to Clay. "Did you really think anyone would vote for you?" Asked Sero.

"What'd you say?" Yelled Bakugou as he began raving angrily. Clay happened to catch Uraraka avoiding looking in their direction, which to him made it pretty obvious who she voted for.

As for Iida, he was understandably a bit disappointed and trying his best not to show it, especially considering the fact that he'd voted for someone else. No one was quite sure why, but Slade's assumption was that he was trying to prove that he could win the vote without voting for himself. What had Clay a bit confused was who the other two who voted for Midoriya were.

"Alright," said Aizawa after he woke up from his nap and saw the results, "The class representative is Izuku Midoriya and our deputy will be Momo Yaoyorozu. "R-really," said Midoriya as he stood trembling in front of the class next to Momo, "Are you sure this isn't some kind of mistake?" "How'd this happen," asked Momo, apparently not too thrilled that she wasn't class rep.

"This might turn out alright after all," observed Asui. "I can get onboard with Midoriya as class rep," said Kirishima. "And Yaoyorozu was way on point with our training results," said Kaminari. A number of other positive comments followed until the bell finally rang for lunch, prompting the students to head over to the cafeteria.

Lunch Rush Cafeteria

"Why's it always crowded in here," asked Uraraka as they sat down to eat. "Students from all three academic courses share this cafeteria," Explained Iida, "So naturally it'll be a little cramped from time to time." "It's definitely not my cup of tea," said Clay as he shifted in his seat to try and get more comfortable.

"What about you Midoriya," asked Slade, noticing his friend hadn't really eaten that much, "What do you think of this whole class rep thing?" "To be honest I'm not sure if I'm qualified," answered Midoriya.

"Of course you are," said Uraraka. "You'll do fine," said Iida, "You have courage and can think quickly under pressure, and you've demonstrated incredible strength, it's the reason I voted for you." "You were one of the three," said Midoriya. "And Uraraka was probably the second," said Clay, causing the gravity quirk girl to spit out some of her food before turning red.

"Wait then who did you guys vote for?" questioned Uraraka, trying to steer the conversation away from her. "I didn't vote for anyone," said Clay, "I didn't really know who was best for the job to be honest." "I voted for Momo," said Slade, "She just seems the type who'd be well suited to such a position."

"She does look the part, kinda like Iida with his glasses," said Uraraka, "Which reminds me, didn't you want the job pretty badly Iida?" "If there's anything the Iida family's hero agency has taught me is that there's a difference between wanting a job and being suited to it," said Iida.

"Wait you've worked with that agency before," said Slade, "Hold on, does that mean you're a part of 'that' Iida family." The engine quirk user seemed to tense up, confirming Slade's suspicions.

"Well it looks like you'd best get to explaining," said Clay. Iida sighed as he adjusted his glasses, "I was worried I'd be treated differently if everyone knew about my family."

"So it's true then," said Slade, "You're part of the Iida family which has produced a number of pro heroes over the generations." "That's correct," said Iida, "Are any of you familiar with the pro hero Ingenium?"

"Yeah I know all about that hero," said Midoriya as he switched to excited nerd mode, "He's an extremely popular pro with sixty five sidekicks working alongside him at his Tokyo agency, wait, but that means."

"He is my older brother," said Iida proudly, "An incredible commander who honors the hero code, and I strive to be just like him some day." "So that means you're famous!" Exclaimed Uraraka. "I still can't believe it," said Midoriya.

"Though I think it's still a little soon for me to take up a leadership role," said Iida, "For example you, Midoriya, were able to discern what the judges wanted and a good leader needs that kind of insight." "You shouldn't be too hard on yourself about that," said Clay, "Most everyone didn't figure that part of the exam out."

"Yes I suppose you're right," said Iida with a small smile. "Wow," said Uraraka, "I don't think I've ever seen you smile before, you should do it more often." "What, I smile," said Iida.

"Yeah when you were overacting the villain role in combat training," said Slade, getting a small laugh out of everyone. Midoriya was about to say something else when an alarm suddenly went off.

"Alert, level three security breach," said an automated voice over the intercom over and over again. "Crap," said Clay as he and Slade stood up quickly from their seats. "What's a level three security breach mean," asked Iida. "It means someone got past the school barriers," said Slade, "Which means we need to get out of here."

The rest of the cafeteria clearly had the same idea as every student tried rushing the door at once. But instead of filing out in a calm orderly fashion, everyone tried pushing and shoving their way towards the door creating a mob of bodies so packed together they could barely move. Oh this is just fantastic, thought Clay as created a cloud under his feet and shot up above the rest of the crowd.

Slade managed to make himself a hole by increasing his density and pushing some of the students aside before immediately decreasing to low density and jumping upwards, hopping off of one students head with all the weight of a bird.

What the heck is happening outside, thought Clay as he moved towards the window and looked outside. "Oh you cannot ## ing be serious," he said as he caught sight of what caused the alarm to go off.

"Slade it's the blasted media again," said Clay as he hovered next to his friend who was currently balancing on the head of a surprisingly large student. "How'd they get past the gate?" asked Slade.

"No idea," answered Clay, "But I may know a way to get them back out." "What do ya need?" asked Slade. "Help me open the window," said Clay as he produced another cloud for Slade to stand on. Working together, Clay floated them up to a high window which they managed to unlatch, allowing Clay to float through with Slade holding onto the cloud beneath him. "Are you sure it's a good idea to leave them all in there," asked Slade as they descended down to the ground.

"If we can get the media out of here," said Clay, "The alarms will stop and if that doesn't stop the panic then at least the teachers won't be preoccupied with the press and they'll be free to restore order." "It's not much but at least it's a plan," said Slade, "So how can we get rid of the media." A smirk crossed Clay's face as he spoke, "I may have one idea."

"We just need one good comment for the record," said one of the reporters. "I know how this goes," said Aizawa as he and Present Mic blocked the press from getting in the main door to the school, "If we give you an inch you'll take a mile." "Are you sure we can't just beat 'em up," whispered Present Mic, "They are trespassing." "Only if you want your name drug through the mud," said Aizawa, "Just wait for the cops."

"But that could take a bit," said Present Mic. "HEY!" called a voice from another part of the campus as Slade came running into view, "You need to get out of here, there's a freakin' fire!" "What," said one of the reporters, "I don't see any, OH MY GOSH!" The rest of the media looked to where Slade was pointing and saw a black cloud slowly rising from the bushes and trees which decorated the campus.

"You heard the kid get off campus for your own safety," said Aizawa as the cloud got even larger and seemed to move even closer towards them. "That's a wrap everyone," said Present Mike as some of the reporters turned to leave.

"Jeez of all the times," commented one of the annoyed reporters. Pretty soon the rest of the media turned and headed out of the gate. "Yes thank you," said Slade, "We'll get this under control but for your own safety it'd be best if you stay off campus for the rest of the day until we determine the cause of the blaze." The rest of the media continued to grumble in disappointment as they headed off the campus.

"Tell him he can stop now," said Aizawa as the last of the reporters exited the gate and went out of sight. "Okay we're clear," yelled Slade. Shortly after he said this, the cloud suddenly twisted and contorted as it seemed to be sucked back down into the trees and bushes where it dissipated.

"Whew," said Clay as he walked out of the trees, "I tell ya those big displays can get tricky sometimes." "Well if it isn't Eraser Head's little nephew," said Present Mike as he fist bumped Clay, "Not a bad performance, not quite as flashy as one of mine of course, but still well done, and you as well Mr. Mason."

"Just helping out," said Slade, who also bumped fists with the microphone hero. "While it was helpful," said Aizawa, "We really could've just waited for the police to show up." "Well the cafeteria was going crazy," said Clay, "So we figured the best thing to do was check out the cause of the alarm and stop it if we could." "And if it had turned out to be an actual villain attack?" asked Aizawa.

"We'd of seen if there was anything we could do to help," said Slade, "Or, failing that, we'd return to the cafeteria and try to get the evacuation moving a bit more smoothly, because seriously it was a madhouse back there." "While that's all well and good," said Present Mike, "What's going on there now?"

"Well if no one else has noticed the alarm has stopped," Said Clay, "It might still be a huge panicky mess." "Which our friends are currently in the middle of," added Slade. A moment of realization passed between the two.

"CRAP!" they both yelled at the same time as they began running back towards the cafeteria. "You know I still can't believe you and that kid are related," Said Present Mike, "Remind me again which one of them is the black sheep of the family?" "In a way," said Aizawa, "We're both black sheep."

Class 1A

As it turned out, the panic at the cafeteria had already been solved by the time Clay and Slade had gotten back. What was even more interesting was it was Iida who'd managed to get everyone to calm down when he also noticed that it was the media responsible for setting off the alarm. In all honesty, Clay was surprised everyone calmed down so quickly, until he learned that Iida had gotten everyone's attention by slamming into the wall with the exit sign below him.

Now here they were, back in class waiting for the new class representative and his deputy to begin. "Alright Class representative," said Momo as she and Midoriya stood at the front of the room, "Time to begin." "O-okay," said Midoriya, still shaking at the fact that he was speaking in front of everyone, "So t-the first thing we n-need to do is figure out w-who the other class officers are g-gonna be."

Taking a deep breath, Midoriya managed to control his shaking enough as he continued speaking. "But first I need to say something," said Midoriya, "I gave it a lot of thought and I believe Tenya Iida should be our class representative," A number of surprised looks spread across the students faces as Midoriya began to explain his reasoning, "In the cafeteria, he was able to get everyone's attention and stop us from panicking, so I believe that he should be leading as our class rep."

"You know what," said Kirishima, "If Midoriya's vouching for him then I'm on board too." "Yeah I'm down," added Kaminari. A number of the other students agreed. "Stop wasting time!" Aizawa suddenly said as he leaned up from his sleeping bag, scaring the living daylights out of Midoriya, "I don't care who the rep is, just finish up already."

With that, Aizawa laid back down. As for Iida, he stood up from his desk and cleared his throat. "If Midoriya believes I'm the best one for the job," said Iida, raising his hand up in the air, "Then I humbly accept, and I promise to carry out all of the duties of my position to the best of my ability!"

"Sounds good emergency exit Iida," said Kirishima with a thumbs up, referring to how Iida had looked hanging above the exit sign earlier. "Don't let us down emergency exit," said Kaminari.

Everyone else gave their approval in one way or another as Iida was named the new class rep, well everyone except Momo, who was mumbling about getting two more votes than him. As for Clay, his mind was focused on another matter entirely. Ever since the media had gotten in, something had been nagging at the back of his mind, how?

How did the media get past UA's security system, he kept asking himself. Clay had gotten a quick look at the security doors at the front entrance on their way back to the cafeteria. They'd been practically disintegrated and turned into a pile of metallic rubble.

Only a powerful quirk or device could've done that, he surmised, not something the media would usually have access too, meaning someone else had let those vultures into the school, setting off the alarms in the process. But who, Clay asked himself over and over again, and more importantly why. He racked his brain to come up with any harmless explanation he could, but he always arrived at one conclusion.

The media had been a distraction for someone else, very possibly a villain. And since no one was caught yet, it meant whoever was responsible was still out there. But what did they want, Clay asked himself. He'd get his answer to that question far sooner than he or anyone else anticipated.

 **And here we are at the end of this relatively short chapter, but don't worry, there's gonna be a bit more action next chapter, which I'll hopefully get out a little bit sooner next time. Also, a huge thanks to my reviewers, followers, and viewers who've given me some helpful, or just down right funny comments on this story, and all of it helps me to keep on writing, so once again Thank You. And don't forget to check in on next chapter, when a regular day of hero training suddenly becomes a real life battle situation**


	10. Villains Today in the USJ

**Villains Today in the USJ**

Class 1A

"Alright listen up," said Aizawa as everyone got seated, "Today's lesson will be a little different and require three instructors; me, All Might, and one other faculty member." A series of murmurs went through the class as everyone wondered why three instructors were required for the lesson. "What kind of training are we doing sir," asked Sero, expressing the question on the rest of the student's minds.

"This kind," said Aizawa as he held up a card that said RESCUE on it, "You'll learn how to deal with natural disasters, shipwrecks and stuff like that." "Sounds like it's gonna be a workout," said Kaminari. "It sounds awesome!" said Mina excitedly.

"I know I'm pumped," said Kirishima. "Finally I can show how good I am in water," said Asui. "Well this oughta be interesting," said Slade with a smirk. Clay was about to add his own comment when Aizawa spoke up. "Guys I haven't finished," said Aizawa, quieting the class down, "You can wear what you want in this exercise and I know you're excited about the costumes, but remember that since you haven't gotten used to them yet they could limit your abilities."

As he was explaining this, Aizawa activated the panels on the wall which held their costumes, causing the numbered steel boxes to slide out. "We'll be taking a bus to an off campus facility for this exercise," Aizawa said, "So start getting ready." With that, their teacher exited the classroom as everyone else stood up to grab their costumes.

"Oh this is gonna be so much fun!" exclaimed Mina as she turned to Clay and the others, "Aren't you excited?!" "Maybe you'll get to rescue me this time," said Clay as he playfully poked at Mina. "Maybe," said Mina with a devious smirk, "But I'd have to think about it first."

"Mina, don't be mean," said Hakagure, who looked basically like a floating school uniform right now thanks to her invisibility quirk. "I'm only joking," Said Mina, "I'll probably save him." "Oh thanks I feel so great about myself right now," said Clay with mock offense. "Hey she better save ya," said Slade, "I've been watching your back for years already, I sure as heck ain't doin' it." Everyone else got a laugh out of that as they finished grabbing their costumes and headed out of the classroom.

"Alright everyone listen up!" Said Iida, already in his hero costume as he blew a whistle to get the student's attention, "Form two neat lines using your student numbers so that we can load the bus in the most efficient manner possible!"

"Well he's really getting into his role as class rep," said Midoriya, who was currently wearing his gym outfit due to the fact that his actual costume got trashed in training thanks to Bakugou. "I just want to know where he got the whistle," said Clay, rubbing his right ear as he walked up to his friends, "I was walking by when he blew that thing." "Well either way we'd best get on the bus," said Uraraka as they began walking towards it.

"Do you think I should tell Iida about the bus," Clay whispered to Slade who was walking behind him. "Nah," replied Slade, "He'll figure it out in a second, to be honest he really shoulda checked it out first, but oh well."

Onboard the UA Bus

As it turned out, the bus had an open layout with seats turned facing each other, something Slade had noticed and mentioned to Clay earlier before they started boarding. As for Iida, well. "My boarding strategy was ruined by the bus's open layout," sulked Iida. "You really need to chill out a little," said Mina.

"If we wanna point out the obvious I'd like to say something," said Asui as she turned to Midoriya, "It's about your power actually." "W-what about it Asui?" asked Midoriya, suddenly nervous. "Just call me Tsu," she said. "Oh right," said Midoriya, slightly embarrassed.

"Your quirk, it seems a lot like All Might's doesn't it," said Asui, which caused Midoriya to suddenly start freaking out a little. "D-does it really," said Midoriya nervously, "I-I guess I never noticed."

"Come on Tsu," said Kirishima, "All Might doesn't hurt himself when he uses his quirk, it's way different than Midoriya's." For some reason Midoriya visibly relaxed after Kirishima said that, a fact which didn't go unnoticed by Clay despite the fact that he was further in the back thanks to his student number.

"But a simple augmenting quirk is still pretty cool," continued Kirishima, "You could do all kinds of flashy stuff with it, my hardening lets me beat down bad guys but it doesn't look all that cool." "I think it looks great though," said Midoriya, "Definitely pro material." "You really think so," said Kirishima.

"If he doesn't I do," said Slade from the back, "At least people can tell when you're using your quirk, I'd have to carry a scale around with me just to let people know I've got a quirk." "But you do realize that some of the most dangerous quirks out there aren't actually that flashy at all," Clay pointed out. "Yeah I guess, but it's still easier to get noticed with a flashy quirk," Said Kirishima, "And the two flashiest in this class would be Todoroki and Bakugou."

"Yeah but Bakugou's always angry," said Asui, "So no one'll like him." "What'd you say!" exclaimed Bakugou as he shot up from his seat next to Jiro, "I'll kick your ##!" "See what I mean," said Asui.

"It is kind of telling," said Kaminari to Bakugou, "We haven't known you but a few days and it's already obvious your personality is flaming crap and garbage." "I'll make you regret the day you applied for this school!" Yelled Bakugou.

"A shorter name for his personality would be explosive diarrhea," Said Clay, "Which is fitting considering he's easily upset and spews # # everywhere." "Keep it up loser I'll freakin' kill you!" yelled Bakugou.

"Gosh this conversation is disgusting," said Momo. "Yeah but it's kind of fun to see them argue," said Uraraka. "Alright we're here!" Called Aizawa from the front, "So quit messing around." "Yes sir," said everyone as the bus pulled in front of a large dome-like building.

Outside The Dome

"Hello everyone, I've been expecting you," said a person in a kind of astronaut outfit with yellow boots. "It's Thirteen, the space hero," Said Midoriya. Oh yeah, Clay remembered, Thirteen was a well-known pro who was most notable for rescuing countless people from disasters. "Awesome," cheered Uraraka, "Thirteen is one of my favorite heroes!"

"I can't wait for you all to see what's inside," said Thirteen as he, or she, it was hard to tell with the outfit, directed them through the main entrance. If Thirteen is anything like Uncle says, thought Clay as he followed everyone inside, then today's lesson is gonna be awesome.

Inside the USJ

The inside was incredible, like an amusement park with multiple areas detailing different types of disasters. The students all stared in awe at the facility as Thirteen began to explain. "In here are all manner of simulated disasters," said Thirteen, "Such as a fire, a shipwreck, a windstorm, a landslide, and so on, you see I created this training facility to teach others how to handle all manner of disasters, I call it 'The Unforeseen Simulation Joint' or USJ."

Wow, thought Clay and likely everyone else, like Universal Studios Japan. "Hey shouldn't All Might have already been here," asked Aizawa as he walked over to Thirteen, "Or is he at another interview?" "Actually he did a bit too much hero work," said Thirteen, holding up three fingers, "He's in the teacher's lounge right now."

"A man at the height of irresponsibility," said Aizawa, seeming to mull something over in his mind for a moment, "Alright well the clock's ticking so let's get started." "Excellent," said Thirteen as Aizawa stepped to the side, "Now before we begin I have one thing to say, or two, maybe three, possibly for or five." We got it, everyone thought.

"Listen closely now," said Thirteen, "As you all likely know I have a powerful quirk known as black hole, which can be used to suck up anything and reduce it to dust." "That's right," said Midoriya as Uraraka seemed to be nodding her head excitedly at Thirteen's explanation, "You've rescued lots of people from disasters with your quirk." "I have," said Thirteen, "But my quirk could also easily be used for killing."

A look of mild surprise formed on some of the student's faces. "Well it is a black hole," said Slade, matter of factly, "As said it reduces anything to dust, even flesh and bone." "That's correct," affirmed Thirteen, "Some of you also have potentially dangerous quirks, how dangerous is a fact which is often overlooked in today's society where quirk usage is stringently regulated, but never forget that if you lose focus or make the wrong move it could be deadly, even when you're trying to do the right thing."

Don't need to tell me twice, thought Clay as Thirteen continued. "Thanks to Aizawa's fitness test and All Might's combat training, you should all have a solid idea of how powerful your quirk is and how dangerous it can be to other people," said Thirteen, "But today you'll be learning how to use your quirks to save people's lives, not for attacking or defending but for helping which is what being a hero is really about, insuring the safety of others."

Everyone applauded as Thirteen took a bow. "Alright," said Aizawa, "Now that that's over-." He stopped speaking as the sound of surging electricity suddenly filled the room as all the lights around the domed ceiling quickly shut off.

The heck, thought Clay as he looked down towards a large fountain in the center of the complex, why is the power to the facility suddenly shutting off. In another instant, Clay's eyes widened as he noticed the air in front of the sputtering fountain begin to distort and twist as a black swirling mass took shape.

Clay glanced back at his Uncle, and the look of concern and surprise on Aizawa's face was all he needed to know that something wasn't right. Looking back down at the mass, Clay saw it suddenly seem to burst as a pair of yellow eyes rose from the dark void as it stretched out like a curtain. "Stay together and keep still," said Aizawa, his voice completely serious now, "Thirteen, keep the students safe."

"Hey what's that," said Kirishima, as a number of individuals of all shapes, sizes, animalistic features, and quirks emerged from the black mass. "I don't think it's training," said Clay. Confused by his statement, some of the other students tried to move to get a closer look. "Keep back!" Ordered Aizawa, "This is the real deal, those are villains!" As many of the other students could only stare in shock and fear at the advancing menaces, the only thoughts in Clay and Slade's minds were simply this; here we go again.

"So these scum bags used the press as a distraction to get on campus," said Aizawa as he donned his goggles. "How in the world did so many villains get in here," Kirishima wondered aloud. "And why aren't there any alarms?" asked Momo. "A good question," said Thirteen.

"The power to the alarms was shut off," said Slade, "Probably the same moment that all the lights went out." "It's a wonder whether or not they're attacking the entire campus or just here," said Todoroki, "But it's also possible one of them has a quirk to mask their presence here."

"I doubt they're attacking the whole campus," said Clay with his hand on his chin, "This is an off-site facility, why waste so many here if they planned on attacking the whole school, heck if All Might had shown up they'd be almost better off attacking the rest of the school?"

"Well if we look at it that way," said Todoroki, "Then it means they intentionally picked a time at this isolated facility when a class was being taught, and even if they're still fools for trespassing here they still planned it out carefully, but that still leaves the question, what is they're objective?" The uncertainty of that sentiment seemed to make the rest of the students even more nervous.

"Thirteen," said Aizawa as he stepped forward towards the stairs, "Get the students out of here and Kaminari, see if you can contact the school with your quirk." "Right," said Kaminari as he tried using the earpiece on his hero costume. "But what are you gonna do," asked Midoriya, "There's too many for you to fight on your own, especially with your style of fighting-."

"Midoriya," said Clay, stopping him in midsentence with a hand on his shoulder, "I'm surprised, you of all people should know that a real pro has more than one trick." "Just what I was about to say Clay," said Aizawa as he readied his scarf, "I'm leaving the students to you Thirteen." Without another word, the erasure hero leaped down the steps and into the fray.

Most of the students started moving away from the stairs, save for Clay, Slade and Midoriya as they watched their teacher cancel out the quirks of the first few villains and then sling them around with his scarf. "It's too bad really," said Clay, "It's always fun watching him work." "No kidding," said Slade as he watched Aizawa punch a villain with multiple arms in the face.

"I guess I was severely underestimating him," said Midoriya. Not as much as you think, thought Clay as he watched his Uncle barely dodge a blow from behind. "This is no time for analyzing quirks," said Iida, "We need to leave!" "Right," answered Midoriya as he turned and headed off with everybody else.

"I know what you're thinking Clay," said Slade, who also remained. "You know I can't leave," said Clay, "Not while he's down there." "And you know I should knock your sorry ## out and drag you along out the door with everyone else," said Slade. "Will you?" asked Clay as he took another step closer to the stairs.

"Hey guys we need to leave," urged Midoriya. "Actually," said Slade, not seeming to hear Midoriya, "I think I'm just gonna toss you down the stairs." "Works for me," said Clay with a smirk as he donned his face mask and eyewear, "You mind looking after everyone else for a bit."

"Just get back soon," said Slade as he took a fighting stance and increased his density, "Some of the students might actually miss ya." "Guys what are you doing?" questioned Midoriya as Clay suddenly formed his signature cloud gauntlets and greaves.

"Taking after my family," answered Clay as he leaped up and tucked his knees under his chest, "WIND UP SLADE!" But his friend was already one step ahead of him as he slung his right arm around and brought it into contact with Clay's feet.

"Plus Ultra!" they both yelled as Slade's momentum sent Clay rocketing down the stairs at high speed. As he flew, Clay formed his signature cloud beneath his feet and charged at one of the larger villains, a guy with a crocodile head. Shifting his position quickly, Clay slammed his cloud covered feet into the villain's face, which was rewarded with a satisfying crunching sound as the villain went flying into a few of his compatriots.

That's a good start, thought Clay as he landed next to his Uncle. "Clay I told you to go," said Aizawa as he kicked away another villain. "Now what kind of hero doesn't look after their own," replied Clay as he formed spikes on his cloud gauntlets and bashed a villain in the side of the head who was behind Aizawa, "And besides, if there's anyone who knows how to complement your style, it's me."

To prove his point, Clay formed his own scarf-like set of clouds and used them to wrap up a couple of villains at the same time as his Uncle. Working together, they yanked the villains off their feet and tossed them into the main bulk of approaching scumbags.

"Well it's too late for you to go back now I guess," admitted Aizawa as he resumed his fighting stance, "Just don't get in my way." "Wouldn't dream of it," said Clay as the two family members stood back to back and faced the rest of the oncoming villain horde, "Now let's see what I've learned in class so far!"

 **And so the invasion of the USJ begins, as Clay and his Uncle stand ready for the fight of their lives. And as for Slade and the others, well they're not as safe as they think they are. Now onto the thank you session, where I once again say thank you to all of my reviewers, followers, and viewers because this story has somehow reached 1,500 views, all of which I owe to everyone one of you, so keep the constructive criticism and good comments coming because they have been working wonders so far. And of course be sure to stop by next time as the students of UA face their first villains!**


	11. Cloud and Cloth Brings the Pain

**Cloud and Cloth Brings the Pain**

"Get them!" yelled one of the female villains, prompting her and some of her compatriots to charge at Clay and Aizawa. "Low cloud high scarf!" Barked Aizawa as he readied his capture weapon. "Coming right up," replied Clay as he crouched down and swung his leg in a sweeping motion, releasing a low cloud which glided across the floor and tripped up several villains, but not all of them.

Some of the more agile villains jumped over Clay's attack and bared down on him from midair, or they would have if Aizawa hadn't wrapped up another few villains with his scarf and tossed them into the air, resulting in several midair collisions. Now for a cross shot, thought Clay as he switched positions with his Uncle and fired off four clouds shaped like cannonballs, knocking away another four villains who'd gotten too close. Another villain tried to swipe at Clay's blindside, but was kicked away by Aizawa who then used his quirk to cancel out another couple of villain's with projectile quirks.

Taking the opening, Clay created a ball and chain with his clouds and swung it over his head, knocking down their confused adversaries. "What the heck kind of quirk is that?" questioned one of the villains, "It's like freakin' living smoke." "They're clouds actually," said Clay as he formed a pair of small shields on his arms, "And I can control their density!"

"Don't waste time talking!" Said Aizawa as he rammed his elbow into a nearby villain's face, "Just take them down!" "Way ahead of ya," acknowledged Clay as he ducked under a villain with spiked knuckles and bashed him in the throat before kicking him away. Aizawa then slung a few more villains his way. Clay formed a massive cloud tennis racket with his quirk and knocked the airborne villains back into the crowd.

Another few villains attempted to jump Clay on his blindside, but were quickly wrapped up by Aizawa's scarf as he yanked them away while also landing behind Clay. Several more villains converged on them then, but Clay quickly formed a large, spinning cloud ring around him and his Uncle and quickly expanded it. Several villains were knocked away by the cloud ring while Aizawa punched, kicked, and flung away any villain which had gotten over the cloud ring while Clay moved left and right, keeping his back to his Uncle and out of the sight of his quirk.

Soon enough, Clay had to dissolve the cloud ring before it expanded too far for him to hold its form. Seeing their chance, more villains rushed into the fray. What the heck is this, thought Clay as he moved out of the way of a villain with hawk talons for feet before knocking another villain in the knee with spikey clouds he'd formed on his feet.

Most of these villains have low level quirks, and they're fighting skills are surprisingly lacking, we're basically fighting small fry here. A large gorilla armed villain charged then, but Clay and Aizawa both kicked her in the stomach at the same time, knocking them into a few more unfortunate lackeys. Assuming this is all of them and that they're only attacking here, Clay thought as he dodged around another couple of villains, there's only one reason that they'd want to attack here, a reason which was supposed to show up to class today.

USJ Entrance

I hate this, thought Slade as he, Thirteen, and the rest of class 1A made their way towards the exit. My best friend and his Uncle are down there fighting right now and here I am running away. Slade clenched his fists as he moved towards the exit. But I've got a lot more people to protect up here, he reminded himself, so the best thing to do right now is to get out of here, get help, and get back here to kick some ## as fast as I can.

Just as class 1A was about to reach the door, however, the same black swirling mist which had brought the villains into the USJ appeared in front of them. Everyone quickly came to a halt as the mist took shape, with a pair of large yellow eyes. "A pleasure to meet you all," said the mist with a deep, menacing voice, "Forgive our impoliteness, but we thought we'd invite ourselves in to say hello."

A spatial distortion quirk, Slade deduced, his whole body is basically generating a type of dimensional warping energy. "This is after all a fitting place for the symbol of peace, All Might, to meet his end," continued the villain, "I believe he was supposed to be here today, his absence must mean there was an unforeseen change in plans, no matter, there is still a role for me to play."

Slade took a fighting stance as he saw the pointer finger of Thirteen's suit opening up, but before Thirteen could use black hole, Bakugou and Kirishima charged in and attacked. An explosion followed after that, caused by Bakugou of course. "You didn't think we'd just stand around and let you tear this place down did ya," said Kirishima.

Did that actually work, thought Slade as the smoke cleared? "You live up to the reputation of this school," said the dimensional villain as the black mass reformed into the talking head it was before, "But you should exercise more caution, otherwise someone could get hurt." Of course that didn't work, thought Slade as he began looking for a weakness in the villain's structure. "You two," said Thirteen as they held up their finger, "Out of the way now!"

But it was too late as the villain's darkness suddenly shot fourth and began to engulf them in a dome of black mist. "I shall scatter you all throughout this facility to meet my fellow villains," he said, "And your end." "Anyone who can grab ahold of me," said Slade as he greatly increased his density, cracking the concrete. Todoroki and Hagakure managed to grab ahold of him as the mist shifted and swirled, moving like a violent wind, making it difficult to see or even move.

"I can't reach you," said Momo as she tried to grab a hold of Slade, her hand hardly an inch from his. "You can do it," said Slade, "You just have to rea-." But Slade was unable to finish his sentence as the floor seemed to drop out from under them.

USJ Central Plaza

# $, Clay thought as he knocked another villain away from his Uncle before turning back to look at the entrance of the USJ, where a dome of black mist had formed. That dimensional villain is up there, he realized as he dodged a quill attack from a porcupine villain, and there are too many villains for us to get back up there in time. As the porcupine villain charged, Clay formed a baseball bat out of his clouds and knocked the villain in the stomach before ducking so that Aizawa could yank away a villain which had been on his blindside with his scarf. The only thing we can do right now is keep fighting, Clay thought with irritation, the quicker we get through these guys the quicker we can save our friends.

Landslide Area of the USJ

For several frightening seconds, Slade floated through blackness before light suddenly appeared and gravity resumed its pull on his body. Slade was suddenly blinded by light around him once again as he fell through the dimensional rift created by the villain and dropped towards the ground with Todoroki and Hagakure still hanging on to him. "Brace yourself," said Slade as he managed to right himself in the air, his density still altered from earlier.

"Just don't land us on our heads," said Todoroki. Slade didn't have the chance to answer as his feet slammed into the barren ground, cracking it as his legs sank in a little. "Alright, ride's over," said Slade, prompting Todoroki and Hagakure to climb off. "Where in the world are we," asked Hagakure, who Slade assumed was looking around judging by how the invisible girl's gloves were moving.

"We appear to still be in the USJ," observed Todoroki as he scanned the area, "The landslide zone by the looks of it." "And we're not alone," said Hagakure as she began frantically pointing behind them where a number of villains had begun emerging. "Well this seems a bit extreme," said Slade, "All these villains for just the three of us."

"They'd like to think so," said Todoroki, his usual cool demeanor unchanged as he stepped towards the approaching villains. "What are you doing," asked a panicked Hagakure, "These are villains, not training robots." "Then we just fight a little harder," said Todoroki as he unleashed a mass of ice which covered much of the ground in front of him and froze all of the villains in place who were in front of them.

"That's a good start," said Slade as he looked below them, "But I hope you got more ice where that came from." "I'll freeze as many as I have too," said Todoroki as more ice developed on his hand, "They made a mistake sending us to such an open area."

"Now that you mention it," said Slade as he increased his density while watching the advance of the villains up the side of the barren training area, "This area is actually great for a guy like me." To prove his point, Slade raised his foot and slammed it down on the ground, the added weight of his density causing, well a landslide. "Oh crap run," said several of the villains as a large number of rocks and dirt rained down on them, burying some of the slower villains.

"Not bad," said Todoroki. "How did you know that would work," asked Hagakure, who was apparently cheering, Slade guessed. "Well the area is supposed to be an unstable landslide zone," explained Slade, "So all it needs is the proper application of force in the right place to create a landslide." "Well I'm just glad they didn't drop us in the shipwreck or fire areas," said Hagakure.

"It's a wonder they didn't," Said Todoroki, "The only real explanation is they're unaware of our quirks." "Well why would they be," said Slade, "They're here for All Might, which means we're just the extra fodder." The sound of several stones suddenly shifting drew their attention as some of the villains managed to climb out of the landslide Slade had created. "They think we're just fodder do they," said Todoroki as he and the other heroes in training all took a fighting stance, or what passed for one for Hagakure, "Let's show them just how wrong they are."

USJ Central Area

What the heck was that, thought Clay as he looked over towards the landslide area. First there's a huge boom in the shipwreck zone and now the landslide area is, well, land sliding. "Don't let your guard down kid," said a villain whose body seemed to be made of plastic. "Don't worry about me," said Clay as he ducked the villain's blow and touched the villain's side, blasting him away with a large, cushion-shaped cloud, "Worry about where you're landing."

"That's almost all of them," said Aizawa as he slung his scarf and whipped another villain across the central plaza. About time too, thought Clay as he noticed how labored his breathing was becoming, I can't keep this up much longer. As he was thinking this, a blue-haired villain whose costume consisted of a blue jumpsuit with a number of fake, grey hands gripping his arms, legs, face, and neck charged into the fray, straight towards Aizawa. That guy's been hanging back the whole time, Clay realized as he used the clouds on his feet to leap over another couple of villains, must make him the boss, but if it's one on one, Uncle is more than prepared for that.

Clay glanced over whenever he could, giving him enough time to see that his Uncle managed to maneuver around and elbow the charging, blue-haired villain, or so he thought. In another moment, Aizawa's hair dropped, which didn't mean much to anyone else, but Clay knew it meant his quirk had deactivated. Unfortunately, the hand villain seemed to have figured this out as well, because the moment Aizawa's hair dropped, his sleeve crumbled into dust, and then the flesh on his arm began to crumble.

"Sensei," said Clay, before having to dodge a villain with large steel claws. "Out of my way!" Exclaimed Clay as he formed a mace with his clouds and batted the villain across the face. The villain fell to the ground clutching his nose as Clay moved to where his injured Uncle was. Fortunately, Aizawa had managed to punch the hand villain away and create some distance between the two of them.

We've got to end this now, thought Clay as he changed direction and charged towards the hand villain. If we can take this guy out, he surmised while generating more of his clouds, the other villains should surrender or at the very least start panicking because they're boss is down. But he never got the chance to put that theory to the test.

All of a sudden, a massive shadow loomed over Clay as he whirled around to see a massive, dark blue villain with red marks on his body, yellow pants, a bird-beak for a mouth and for whatever reason, his brain was exposed. # #$ swore Clay as he instinctively moved to form a barrier with his clouds, how did this freak get behind me? Clay's question was answered when the bird-faced villain swung its right arm with surprising speed. Clay shifted his clouds to their highest density as the villain's backhand blow struck.

But it wasn't enough as the villain's massive hand caused his cloud to bow inward, impacting against Clay's body and sending him flying several hundred feet into the air at a surprising speed. I'm moving too fast, he thought as pain from the blow wracked his body, my clouds will only slow me down so much, only one option now. Using every last bit of strength he could muster at the moment, Clay generated a mass of clouds to surround his body, forming a giant ball around his body.

This is gonna hurt, thought Clay as he blindly sped towards one of the areas of the USJ. In the next few seconds he impacted against some kind of wall, his momentum allowing him to break right through it as some of his cloud shell dissipated around him. The next thing Clay knew, he'd hit what felt like the ground. Clay! He thought he heard his Uncle's voice call out before everything went black.

 **Class 1A is scattered as the villains attempt to close in on them, and where in the USJ has Clay wound up? Hello everyone, hope you've all enjoyed this latest chapter, and for those reviewers, followers, and viewers who've waited patiently for this chapter I'd like to say thank you again for reading, and for any comments and suggestions you might have to help make this story better. Be sure to come by next time as Slade continues to hold off villains with Todoroki, and Clay awakens his more menacing side. 'Til next time.**


	12. The Cloud Quirk's Lethal Formation

**The Cloud Quirk's Lethal Formation**

USJ Landslide Zone

Something's not quite right here, thought Slade as he kicked another villain back down the slope. Most of these guys are chumps, and they don't seem to be too talented at strategic fighting. Another villain jumped up from behind Slade, only to receive a highly dense elbow to the face which put them down for the count. So I guess it just begs the question, he surmised to himself, how do these guys plan to kill All Might?

Slade took a quick moment to glance over at Todoroki, who was having no trouble at all freezing one villain after another whenever they entered his line of sight. "How are things going on your end," asked Slade as he punched away a villain with a gas mask on. "Fine just so long as you keep any stragglers from getting behind me," answered Todoroki as he spread his ice out to freeze a few other villains.

"Not a problem," said Slade as three more villains rushed at him. Slade rammed his shoulder into the first villain, causing him to grunt in agony as he went rolling back while the other two villains split and tried attacking Slade on both sides, one with a hammer and the other with metal gloves. Slade stopped the hammer by catching it with his hand while allowing the other villain's fist to impact with his jaw, and shatter.

"Ow what the # #," exclaimed the villain as he held his throbbing hand. "My body's density can reach higher than cheap metal fists," said Slade as the other villain tried to wrench his hammer away from him, unsuccessfully, "And my weight increases too which means." Twisting his body, Slade yanked the hammer-wielding victim off his feet and swung him into his metal-fisted compatriot, causing them to roll down the slope next to them.

"As much fun as this is we really need to wrap this up," said Slade. "Then you'd best jump as high as you can," said Todoroki as he turned his attention to the last group of villains who'd managed to regroup and were charging up the slope. "Then on three," said Slade as he quickly lowered his density. "Three!" they both said at the same time as Slade jumped several feet into the air while Todoroki sent out his largest sheet of ice yet along the ground and froze the rest of the advancing villains.

"Some villains," said Slade as he landed lightly on his feet, "And they were bragging about trying to kill All Might." "It must mean they have some other plan," said Todoroki. Suddenly, a final two villains, one with a combat knife and green paint smeared across his eyes and a spear-wielding villain with the head of a bird and wings coming out of his back charged from two separate hiding places.

Reacting quickly, Slade increased his density and caught the spear in one hand and the knife in the other, his increased weight stopping the villains in their tracks. "Then why don't we ask them," said Slade as he held the villains in place. "My thoughts exactly," said Todoroki as he sent out a wave of ice, freezing the two villains while stopping just short of reaching Slade.

"Alright," said Todoroki as he addressed the two frozen villains, "Listen well, in your current state it'll be only a short time before frost bite or hypothermia begins slowly killing your body, but fortunately for you I want to be a hero." Well he's certainly got intimidation down, thought Slade, releasing his grip on the villain's weapons as he watched the interrogation. "I can unfreeze you, but only if you tell me what I want to know," Todoroki held up his right hand and moved it closer to the knife-wielding villains face to emphasize his point, "How are you planning to kill All Might."

USJ: Fire Zone

Everything hurts, thought Clay as he struggled to open his eyes, and why is it so #$#$ing hot in here? Clay managed to open his eyes after another moment and was confused when he noticed cracks in front of his eyes. Aw man, he thought as he saw the cracks in his goggles, I've hardly had this costume a week and I already need repairs on it thanks to that giant, brain-headed douche.

Detaching his goggles, Clay managed to struggle to his feet, pain coursing through his body as he leaned against the wall of the building he'd landed in. I shoulda figured, he thought as he slowly moved along the wall and looked out the window, the fire zone. The entire area was designed to look like a city with a massive dome surrounding it to keep the fire from spreading into any other sections of the USJ. And, for obvious reasons, this particular section was dubbed the fire zone because it had several buildings and even parts of the street in a constant blaze.

At least I didn't land in one of the burning buildings, Clay thought to himself as he assessed his condition. My entire body feels like one big bruise, he observed, and the amount of pain I'm in will make it practically impossible to run any faster than a slow jog, and my arms and legs are too beat up for close quarters combat. Clay raised his hand and used his quirk to produce a small cloud around his hand, noting how the heat affected it.

This is probably the worst area I could've landed in, he thought to himself, because my quirk requires a degree of moisture from my body, any excessively dry or hot areas make it harder for me to produce a large number of clouds which limits my attack options, and since I clearly can't fight at close range I might have only a couple of options left, sneak attacks or. Clay's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of footsteps climbing the stairs to his floor.

"I know I saw it land over here," said a gruff voice. "Well this better not be a wild goose chase," said another, unfamiliar voice, "I've been dying to shoot something today and that kid with the blasted tail keeps hopping away whenever we get near him." Crap, thought Clay as he stood up straighter and tried to move, close range villains I might can handle but a projectile villain will be a problem for me in my injured state.

Clay tried scanning for a hiding spot among the ruined building he was in, but his injuries prevented him from moving too quickly and just as he was about to hide, the villains came walking into view. "Hey there's one of 'em," said the gruff-voiced villain who was wearing some kind of mask shaped like a flame. "Finally target practice," said the other villain as he raised his hand, producing a barrel from his palm.

Reacting on instinct, Clay quickly formed a spike with his clouds and sent it flying at the villain. "Gaaah!" screamed the villain as the spike shot through his shoulder and curved around as Clay manipulated its path through the leg of the other villain. "AAAArgh!" screamed the second villain as the cloud spike dissipated. Clay wasn't sure what surprised him more, how quickly he'd been able to use his attack or the fact that he practically used it on instinct. But he quickly regained his composure when realization struck.

I guess it's gonna be like that then, thought Clay as he stood up straight again and began walking forward, passing by the two villains as they collapsed to the floor in agony. If I really think about it, this whole mess seems familiar in a way, thought Clay as he began descending the stairs, here I am again in another burning area full of villains. And just like before, it looks like I'm gonna have to resort to my more lethal formation if I'm gonna have any hope of getting out of here alive, Uncle is definitely not gonna be happy about this.

Clay reformed a small cloud on his right hand as he reached the bottom floor, keeping his eyes peeled for any more enemies. As he made his way outside of the building and onto the burning streets, a number of voices attracted his attention. "That kid with the tail has got to be around here somewhere," said a villain as he and a small group of them rounded a corner out into the street. Great, thought Clay, it looks like they have entire groups of villains waiting in the other areas.

"Hey there's another one," said one of the villains with bat-like ears and an upturned snout. "Before you do anything stupid," said Clay as the group of villains slowly approached him, "Just know that I'm in a hurry, so if you just point me to the exit I'll be on my way, otherwise-." "Nice try kid," snarled a villain with the face of a coyote, "But our job's to kill anyone they send here, so quit bluffing with that smoke in your hand."

"Have it your way," said Clay as his clouds formed a couple of spikes and spinning blades behind his back, "'Cause that's the only warning I'm giving out right now." Clay tensed his arm and sent the small weapons outward at incredible speeds. The surprised villains hardly had time to react as the spikes tore through some of the villain's shoulders or legs while the spinning blades slashed at the tendons near the other villain's feet.

The villains cried out in varying degrees of anguish, pain, or just plain unbelief as Clay approached. "Now I'm gonna ask one more time," said Clay as he kneeled down next to one of the villains who was holding their ankle where his Achilles tendon had been cut, "How do I get out of here?"

"T-the entrance," said the villain through gritted teeth, "It's j-just down this street." "Thank you," said Clay as he stood back up, "Don't fret, you probably won't bleed out from that injury, probably." The villain tried asking what he meant by that, but Clay was already walking away.

"Clay!" called a familiar voice, drawing his attention as he looked up to see Ojiro swinging down from one of the lampposts and landing a couple feet from his friend, "Did that warp villain manage to get you too?" "If you mean that shadowy mist guy, no," replied Clay, "I got # $#slapped out of the main plaza and through the dome into here by that blue, bird-faced giant they brought with 'em."

"I'm amazed you're even still alive after something like that," commented Ojiro. "I formed a protective layer with my clouds," explained Clay, "It allowed me to survive the impact, but pretty much everything hurts to one degree or another right now, I'm doing good just walking normally." "If that's the case then you may want to take cover for a bit," said Ojiro, "They've got villains wandering around this area and likely every other area of the USJ, and I can't really fight them and carry you at the same time."

"I can still use my quirk to fight," said Clay as he started walking again, "And don't worry about carrying me, I can handle walking." "How are you planning on fighting," asked Ojiro. "I just need to use a different attack formation," said Clay. Before Ojiro could question him further, another group of villains emerged from a nearby building.

"Oh man not good," said Ojiro as he took a fighting stance. "Not for them," said Clay as he formed a pair of cloud shuriken and kunai. "Lethal formation," he said, "Humming Stratus."

USJ: Landslide Zone Entrance

"So that's their big plan," said Slade as he and Todoroki, and hopefully Hagakure, exited the landslide zone, "They got some big blue, bird-faced prick who's supposed to be able to take on All Might, I'll believe that when I see it." "Well if it is true," said Todoroki, "Then we need to get out of here as soon as possible and get help." "And get our classmates to safe-," Slade stopped talking as he noticed a sudden shadow descending on them.

Reacting instinctively, Slade increased the density of his body as both he and Todoroki's eyes shot upwards towards a lion villain pouncing on them. "You won't make it that far!" Exclaimed the villain as he reached his claws for Todoroki. Just as he was about to reach the white and red-haired boy, Slade shoved him out of the way as the lion villain's claws sank into Slade's costume.

"What the?" questioned the lion villain, "I know this quirk and this scent." "Then you know this is gonna hurt too!" Exclaimed Slade as he grabbed the villain's arm and swung him over his shoulder. "AAARRGH," screamed the villain as he slammed against the ground. Todoroki wasted no time in freezing the villain to the floor with his right hand.

"Try ambushing us now," said Todoroki as he withdrew his hand. "I am so over these chumps," said Slade as he turned to leave. "You," groaned the lion-headed villain, "Of all people why did you have to be here, and don't tell me that cloud-wielding friend of yours is here too." "Sorry have we met?" asked Slade.

"Hard to believe you'd forget," said the lion-villain, "You beat down a number of my fellow villains, tossed me over a catwalk into flaming wreckage, and on top of all that you insured the destruction of our oil tanker by releasing-OOOOF!" "Just shut up already," said Slade as he kicked the villain in the face, knocking him out, "We ain't got time for a babbling villain."

"What was he talking about?" asked Todoroki as Slade started walking towards the central plaza. "Who knows," said Slade, "I slammed him down pretty hard, add to that the fact that he's frozen he could've just been delirious."

"There was no listing in his speech," said Todoroki, "And his recognition of you was unmistakable, you've met before haven't you." Slade was about to respond when the doors to the entrance burst open, attracting both of their attention. Slade's eyes widened as an unmistakable blond-haired man with enormous muscles and two hairs sticking up like antennae strode in among the billowing smoke cloud he'd created by busting down the door.

"Well it's about time," said Slade as he and Todoroki watched All Might, wearing a regular suit without the jacket and yellow pants stop at the top of the stairs, "We might just get through this after all."

 **At last, All Might has arrived, while Clay's taken off the kid gloves. But it also seems the past is catching up with the two friends as an old face returns. In other news, for those of you who have been following my other story, The Adventures of Team WA, I have finally started writing the next installment known as The Adventures of Team WA Volume 2. I'll be posting it as a new story in the coming weeks, hopefully as early as some time next week. I'll also try to keep up with my other two stories as well. As for this story, stop in next time as Clay reveals the origin of his lethal formation while Slade must make a decision about intervening in a clash of titans. 'Til next time.**


	13. Watch A Real Pro Work

**Watch A Real Pro Work**

USJ: Fire Zone

'Almost there,' thought Clay as the sharpened and bladed clouds returned to his hand. His breathing was becoming a bit more ragged as he and Ojiro continued their trek towards the entrance of the dome they were in.

"You weren't kidding when you said you could still fight," said Ojiro as he landed next to Clay, having taken down another couple villains behind them, "I had no idea you could form blade and piercing weapons with those clouds of yours."

"The formation isn't the difficult part," said Clay as he began walking again, "The real trick is aiming numerous objects moving at high speed at non-vital areas."

"Well it's not the most heroic approach," said Ojiro, "But we're low on time and options right now."

"The pro hero Snipe uses a similar method of incapacitation with bullets," commented Clay, "These guys should just count themselves lucky I've got a lot more control than the first time I used this formation."

Ojiro was about to ask what he meant by that before another large group of villains gathered together in front of them. To make matters worse, right behind the mob of villains was a large doorway which appeared to lead outside.

"Aw come on," said Ojiro as he curled his tail, ready to spring into action, "More of them, give us a break already!"

"I don't know how you two have managed to get this far," said a villain who was wearing some kind of skeleton mask, "But this here's the end of the road."

"You really wanna know how we got to this point," Said Clay as he removed the rest of his mask, tasting a bit of fresh air coming from the entrance door, "Then you'd best not blink." Just as his hand fell down to his side, his cloud leapt up and separated in midair into spinning blades and spikes.

"That quirk," said one of the villains in the middle as they suddenly started freaking out, "Guys we need to get out of he-!"

But it was too late as Clay launched his deadly creations into the mob of villains. Screams of pain, shock, agony and panic could be heard as the spikes flew through shoulders, arms and legs. Those who weren't hit by the spikes were slashed by the spinning blades as the once confident mob of villains devolved into a collection of panicking souls looking for escape.

It lasted only a few moments, but the damage dealt was more than enough. Each and every one of the villains was now on the ground writhing in one form of pain or another. "That takes care of that problem," Said Clay between breaths as he and Ojiro began walking again.

"Remind me not to get on your bad side," Said Ojiro as they passed by the downed villains, "Because that looks really painful."

"IT IS PAINFUL!" yelled the villain who'd called out the warning before. A blond-haired individual wearing a helmet with several small, protruding spikes. "It hurt like # % the first time, and this time's even worse!"

"Do you, uh, know this guy Clay," asked Ojiro as they stopped for a second.

"He should!" seethed the villain as he held the wound in his shoulder, "After all he was one of the ones responsible for me nearly losing my life on that oil tanker. He let Ghoul Fire loose!"

"Any idea what he's talking about?" Asked Ojiro, "Come to think of it, how would a villain even know who you are in the first place?"

"Me and Slade ran into a group of villains a couple years back," explained Clay as he started walking towards the entrance again. "Long story short, they thought we were some helpless kids and we proved them very wrong."

"Alright I can see that," said Ojiro as they finally walked through the doors of the fire zone. "But I got another question. Who in the world is Ghoul Fire?"

USJ Central Plaza

Slade and Todoroki were both crouched nearby as they watched All Might standing at the top of the stairs. 'I'm not sure how they did it,' thought Slade, 'but some of our classmates must've gotten the word out to the rest of UA.'

"Slade," said Todoroki, getting the density quirk user's attention, "We have a problem." Slade looked at where Todoroki was pointing, and felt his fists clench involuntarily. There, right next to the shipwreck zone, were two villains. One was a scrawny, blue-haired villain with a number of fake hands grasping random parts of his head, arms, and body. Next to him was a massive, blue, monster-looking villain with an exposed brain and a bird's beak.

What was making Slade's fists clench, however, were the three students they were threatening, Mineta, Asui, and Midoriya. Slade was about to charge from his hiding spot when a sudden blur of motion came from the top of the stairs. Shifting his gaze quickly, Slade saw that All Might, moving with an insane amount of speed, had charged down the stairs. And in the span of seconds, had knocked out all of the small fry villains who hadn't been taken out by Clay and Aizawa.

"Holy # $ that was fast," Said Slade, in awe of the incredible speed of the number one hero. All Might wasn't done either. In the blink of an eye, All Might snatched up not only Midoriya, Asui, and Mineta, but also their injured teacher Aizawa.

'I don't know what they did to Aizawa sensei,' thought Slade, 'but those villains better hope Clay doesn't get here before All Might's done. Because he'll rip 'em to shreds for hurting his Uncle.' As Slade was thinking this, All Might had been ordering Midoriya and their two classmates to take Aizawa back to the entrance. Obviously Midoriya was hesitant at first, but eventually he complied and helped carry their teacher towards the stairs.

"Good they're outta the way," said Todoroki as he began walking towards the center of the plaza, "Now we can focus on the villains."

"Do you really think that's necessary," said Slade as he fell into step by Todoroki, "I mean this is All Might."

"You heard what the villains we interrogated said," Replied Todoroki, "That blue villain is supposed to be their secret weapon against All Might. So he must be strong."

Slade was about to respond back when he saw All Might charge right at the blue villain with one of his signature smashes. As the hit impacted against the villain, it caused a large shockwave. The ground shook as the water behind the villain was kicked up. But some way, somehow, the villain remained standing.

'Okay, thought Slade as he watched All Might avoid a bear hug from the villain, 'maybe this guy is a little tougher than we thought.' The number one hero let loose a number of blows on the creature, each one having the same effect. Which was no effect at all.

"He's some kind of shock absorber," Slade thought aloud, "His skin pulses every time he's hit by All Might."

"So All Might's basically hitting the equivalent of a super powered punching bag," said Todoroki. Slade nodded his head in affirmation. They continued to watch as All Might dodged and countered each move by the creature, but it was obvious brute force wouldn't work.

Fortunately, All Might realized this too and changed up his tactics. As the creature reached for him again, he dodged around and grabbed it from behind. With a groan of effort, All Might lifted the creature up and bent backwards, suplexing it into the ground. A mass of dust was kicked up by the impact as the plaza shook. But the result was not what was expected.

"Uh Todoroki," said Slade as the dust cleared, "I'm not sure if you've ever watched wrestling. But a suplex is not supposed to look like that." Todoroki agreed, with a bit of a shocked look on his face at the sight before them. All Might was still holding onto the creature's lower half, but it's upper half wasn't in the floor.

The mist villain had created a portal where All Might had slammed Nomu. Now its upper body was reaching up beneath All Might and grasping his sides with its massive hands. 'Not good,' thought Slade as he watched the number one hero struggle to free himself from the villain's grasp. "Todoroki," said Slade as he started to move towards the scene, "How much control do you have over your ice quirk?"

"I won't freeze anyone on accident if that's what you're asking," Replied Todoroki as he ran alongside Slade. "Good," Said Slade, "Because there's a simple way to mess up a shock absorber."

"Then we'd best hurry," said Todoroki as he pointed out a slight issue, "We're not the only ones who want to help All Might." Slade looked to where Todoroki was pointing, and increased his pace. Just a little ahead of them was Midoriya, and his only plan appeared to be leaping right into the fray. ' # $,' Slade swore under his breath, 'what are you doing Midoriya?'

They closed the distance as quickly as they could. But it just didn't seem fast enough as Midoriya reached for All Might, only to have his arm engulfed by the warp villain's misty body. Slade's eyes widened as he watched the warp gate start to close on his friend's arm. Just as he was about to lose his arm, an explosion blasted the portal away.

"Out of the way Deku!" yelled Bakugou as he grabbed the piece of armor at the center of the black mist and drug the villain to the ground. "Todoroki now!" Exclaimed Slade. The ice-user didn't need any encouragement as he quickly sent a path of ice along the ground. The ice reached the portal and froze half the body of the bird-faced villain holding All Might.

"Your poorly trained thugs told us your plan," said Todoroki. "You should've planned more," Remarked Slade as he increased his density to high level and slammed into the villain's frozen arm. He was rewarded with the sound of shattering ice and flesh as the creature's arm broke off. With only one hand holding him, All Might was able to break the villain's grip as he leapt away towards Todoroki.

As for the hand villain, Kirishima dropped in out of nowhere with his fist cocked back, ready to bring him down. But the hand villain had some experience with surprise attacks as he managed to maneuver out of the way. "Oh man," said an annoyed Kirishima, "That would've been so cool if I'd got 'em."

"Slade," said Midoriya, surprise evident on his face, "All of you guys." "Sorry we didn't get here sooner," said Slade as he backed up to where the others were. "They turned this place into a freakin' zoo of villains." Midoriya's reply to that was a look of relief across his face. The hand villain didn't share everyone else's enthusiasm.

"How did you get yourself caught Kurogiri," seethed the hand villain, "Now we're in a real jam."

"This moron got careless," said Bakugou, "It wasn't hard to figure out that he had an actual body. We missed the first time because he was shrouded in mist, but he wouldn't be wearing neck armor if he didn't have a body. All one has to do is hit you with a well-aimed attack!"

The villain grunted in annoyance, only for Bakugou to send a few explosive sparks out of his hand in warning. "Move and I'll blow you to pieces," said Bakugou to the warp villain, now known as Kurogiri, "It'll take 'em weeks to put you back together."

"That doesn't sound too heroic," commented Kirishima. The hand villain seemed to ponder his situation for a moment. "Nomu," said the hand villain, prompting the bird-faced creature to grunt in return. As it screeched, the villain called Nomu pulled its half frozen body back through the portal, losing bits of its frozen limbs in the process.

"How can it move while it's all messed up," asked Midoriya. "Everyone stay back!" Ordered All Might as the ice broke off of Nomu. To everyone's shock, not only did the ice break off, but Nomu's limbs quickly began regenerating.

"That's not shock absorption," observed All Might as first muscle, then flesh formed into new limbs for Nomu. "Shock absorption isn't his only quirk," stated the hand villain, "He also possesses enhanced regeneration. You see he was engineered to take whatever hits you could throw at him, even at full strength."

'Not good,' thought Slade as he readied himself along with everyone else. "But first things first," said the hand villain, "We still need our method of escape, so sick 'em Nomu." Slade increased his density to maximum and tried to move in front of the villain. But the monster moved faster than Slade could even see.

Before he knew it, a massive hand smacked him down into the concrete. The force of the impact created a mass of cracks as the floor caved in several feet. 'AAAAAAARGH!' Was about the only thought Slade had as pain erupted throughout his body. 'I've never been hit so hard in my life,' thought Slade as he heard the sound of another massive impact. A blast of air rushed past Slade as he remained in the crater formed by his body, his density keeping him from flying away.

'That thing was aiming for Bakugou,' thought Slade as he slowly opened his eyes, 'is he paste now?' Lifting his head and rolling over a bit, Slade noted two small trenches dug into the ground which led to a destroyed wall. But it wasn't Bakugou at the destroyed wall. Instead it was All Might, holding his arms up in a defensive fashion, with his sleeves torn to shreds.

'I get it now,' thought Slade as he swiveled his head to look back to see a confused Bakugou sitting with the others, 'he pushed him out of the way.' "You didn't hold back against kids," coughed All Might, spitting out a slight bit of blood in the process.

"I didn't have any other option," replied the hand villain, "They were threatening my ally. Besides, these kids aren't exactly innocent." The hand villain pointed to Midoriya as he continued to speak. "That nerdy looking one right there tried to kill me with a full power punch, how is that heroic," stated the hand villain, "You think you can be as violent as you want if you say something's for the sake of others."

'Oh ## , he's monologuing,' thought Slade as he pushed himself up to a standing position. "That sort of things pisses me off," continued the hand villain, "Who gets to decide what acts are good and which are villainous, who has the right to judge that?" 'Does have a point to this,' thought Slade in annoyance, not really caring for the villain's tone.

"You claim to be a symbol of peace," ranted the hand villain, "But you're just a tool for government violence, and once you're dead the world will truly understand how violence breeds violence."

"Enough with the act," said All Might, "Lunatics like you always try to make yourselves out as noble, but you only do this because you enjoy it!" The hand villain said nothing, but his body language made it obvious All Might had him figured out.

"As far as the situation goes," cut in Todoroki, "We have the advantage in numbers."

"And Kacchan found the weakness of the warp villain," added Midoriya.

"And with All Might's help we should be able to take 'em," Said Kirishima as he hardened his body. "Shoot I've still got a bit of fight in me," said Slade as he adjusted his stance.

"Everyone stay back!" Ordered All Might as he moved in front of the heroes in training. "You might've died earlier if not for us," said Todoroki as he expelled a bit of ice from his hand, "You need the help."

"I am grateful for your assistance," said All Might as he held out his fist, "But I know what to expect now, so sit back and watch a pro in action."

"But you're injured," said Midoriya, "You've lost blood and you're nearly out of ti-." Midoriya stopped himself from finishing his sentence. All Might simply responded with a thumbs up.

"Nomu, Kurogiri," said the hand villain, "I'll handle the children, while you end All Might. Let's clear this level once and for all." With that declaration, the hand villain charged towards Slade, Midoriya and the rest of the students. "Guess we get to fight after all," said Kirishima as he hardened his body.

Just as everyone took a fighting stance, blue and white blurs flew towards each other as All Might and Nomu clashed. A massive shockwave blasted the hand villain away from them as Slade held his hand up to block the mass of dust flying at his face. "What are you doing," Laughed the hand villain, "I told you he has shock absorption!"

"And so what!" Exclaimed All Might as he and Nomu exchanged blow after massive blow, the speed of their punches so fast it was impossible to count them. "He's taking him head on?" Questioned Midoriya as the force from each punch made it impossible for anyone to get too close.

"I think I know what he's trying to do," said Slade, the only one not sliding back thanks to his increased density. "Even the best shock absorbers can only take so much, he's trying to overload him."

And it seemed to be working as one punch got through, then another and another. Before long All Might was pushing the villain back as the plaza shook with the force of their blows. "So you were made to take me on at one hundred percent!" exclaimed All Might as he continued trading blows with Nomu, "That just means I'll have to go beyond and beat you into submission!"

All Might struck with even stronger and faster blows, pushing the villain back even more. 'He's actually doing it,' thought Slade as he looked on in awe with the others, 'he's hitting with more than a hundred percent!' "A real hero," Yelled All Might as he knocked Nomu back along the plaza, "Will always find a way for justice to prevail!"

The battle raged as Nomu was knocked into the air by All Might, who then leapt up and swung him around by his arm. Using a massive amount of strength, the number one hero flung him into the ground, creating a huge crater. "Now here's a lesson for you," Said All Might as he landed by the crater, "You've heard me say these words before, but let me show you what they really mean!"

Cocking his fist back, All Might put every last ounce of his strength into his attack as he shouted his declaration. "GO BEYOND!" Yelled All Might as he slammed his fist into the villain, "PLUS ULTRA!" The impact of the blow seemed to shake the entire USJ as the villain skyrocketed towards the ceiling of the dome, or rather through it.

"Man that was like a video game finisher," remarked Kirishima, "He knocked the shock absorption right out of him." "Having that kind of power and speed," said Bakugou, "He was hitting him faster than he could regenerate." 'So that's what it takes,' thought Slade, 'to be the number one hero.'

'What was that,' thought Clay as he approached the central plaza, 'no one in Class 1A can do that, not on that scale.' Making his way up a flight of stairs to get a better view, Clay had his answer. 'At last,' thought Clay as he looked down at the scene in the central plaza, 'All Might's arrived.' Clay looked around for a moment as he tried to find one other hero. 'Oh no,' thought Clay as he clenched his fist, what have they done to my Uncle?!

Looking back at the plaza, Clay noted that a couple of villains were still standing. 'All Might or not,' thought Clay as he began descending to the central plaza, 'I'm taking these guys down once and for all!'

 **Nomu is defeated! Now what to do about the remaining villains, Clay might have a few ideas. But hard as it may be to believe, the battle isn't quite over yet. And as you might've guessed, Slade and Clay have a bit of explaining to do. And thank you to my reviewers, followers, and viewers for sticking around to read this story up to this point. Do come by next time as the villains rise for one last attempt against the heroes, and Clay reveals his more menacing side to Class 1A. 'Til next time.**


	14. Questions in the Aftermath

**Questions in the Aftermath**

USJ Entrance

'He did it,' thought Mina as she and everyone else up above watched. All Might had managed to defeat that massive blue villain. And with luck, the rest of the heroes would be there soon and they could help Aizawa with the injuries he got from the large villain. And Thirteen, who'd been shredded by their own black hole quirk thanks to that warp villain.

'I just hope everyone who got scattered is doing alright,' she thought. "Hey," called someone from down below, drawing the student's attention. It was Ojiro, making his way up the stairs, and besides a bit of ash on his clothing, he seemed alright.

"Hey Ojiro," said Sero with a wave as the tail quirk boy reached the top of the stairs, "Where did that warp guy send you?"

"The fire zone," answered Ojiro as he took a minute to catch his breath, "It was crawling with villains, but Clay and I managed to fight our way out."

"Wait, Clay," said Mina, "But he was down there with Aizawa, was he warped there too?"

"More like launched there," replied Ojiro, "He managed to survive using his quirk."

"But where is he now?" Questioned Mina, "Is he alright?"

"He's a bit banged up to be sure," responded Ojiro, "But he's still got plenty of fight left in him."

"Yeah but why isn't he up here with you?" asked Sero with a note of confusion in his voice, "Can't he walk right now?"

"He sent me up here to check on everyone," replied Ojiro as he looked back down towards the central plaza.

"And you just left him there even though you know for a fact that he's injured!" Accused Mina, "For all you know he could be dead right now!"

"Oh believe me he's not dead," Said Ojiro as he held his hands up defensively, "Heck, he took out more villains than me, it was kind of scary to be honest."

"He what?" Questioned Mina, confusion spreading across her features.

"He had this scary new cloud formation he used," Said Ojiro, "It was completely different from his usual fighting style, and it was also why I didn't argue when we split up."

"Okay so you both split up," repeated Mina, "So if he sent you up here, then where did he go?"

Ojiro turned and pointed his finger down at the central plaza where All Might and the others were, "Down there."

USJ Central Plaza

'Whew, that was one heck of a smack down,' thought Slade as he stood by Todoroki, Midoriya and the other students who'd gathered there. All Might stood nearby, his body currently surrounded by a large amount of dust which had been kicked up by his final blow against the monster known as Nomu. The two remaining villains, the man covered in hands and the warp villain, now known as Kurogiri, still hadn't quite wiped the surprised looks off of their faces.

"You're monster's been beaten," said All Might, "We all want to get this over with, so it'd be best if you surrendered." The hand villain didn't answer as he nervously, or was it angrily scratched at his neck, apparently deep in thought.

"What's the problem," asked All Might when the villain didn't answer, "I seem to recall you saying something about beating this level." All Might narrowed his eyes, giving off an intimidating look as he stared the villain down. "If you really think you can still take me, then come on already!"

"It appears we won't be needed to fight now," Said Todoroki as he turned to head out of the plaza.

"Yeah All Might's got this," said Kirishima as he started to follow Todoroki.

"Midoriya," Said Slade, snapping his friend out of his thoughts with a hand on his shoulder, "It's best we get going." But Midoriya wouldn't answer as he continued looking towards All Might, with a mixture of fear and worry on his face. Slade was about to urge his friend to move again when All Might spoke up.

"What's the problem, are you scared?" Asked All Might once again. 'What's he waiting for,' Slade wondered to himself out of the blue, 'after what he did to their main muscle, these two should be a cakewalk for All Might, even if he's injured?'

"You're talking tough because Nomu's not here!" Spat the hand villain as he began angrily clawing at his neck, "He'd tear you apart and bury you in the ground without a second thought if he was here!"

"Tomura Shiguraki," said Kurogiri, "No need to fret, even though Nomu failed to defeat him it is obvious his attacks had an effect. All Might is undoubtedly weakened." The warp villain turned his eyes to the UA students as he continued his explanation. "As for the children, they appear to be in the grips of fear, meaning All Might is on his own and look."

Kurogiri indicated the ground littered with villains. Slade looked as well and realized that they were all starting to get back up. "Our underlings are also awakening," Stated Kurogiri, "And we likely still have a short few minutes before more heroes arrive. If you and I work together we still have a chance to end All Might."

This seemed to calm the hand villain, whose name was now revealed to be Tomura Shiguraki, as he ceased scratching at his neck. "You're right," Shiguraki finally said, "The final boss is right before us, and this being our only chance means we have to do this now."

"I guess All Might's gonna handle those guys," said Kirishima as he turned to face several of the now conscious villains, "Let's keep these guys from hurting anyone else."

"Will you be fighting as well," Todoroki asked Midoriya. The green-haired student gave no response as he continued to stare worriedly at All Might. In the next instant, Tomura Shiguraki charged All Might, his murderous intent filling the air.

"This is vengeance for Nomu!" Yelled Shiguraki as he and Kurogiri charged at All Might. A rush of air attracted Slade's attention as he looked over to where Midoriya was. To see nothing but dust kicked up.

"GET AWAY FROM ALL MIGHT!" Yelled Midoriya as he went flying towards the two villains at incredible speed, his fist aimed at the warp villain. 'Holy #$ ,' thought Slade, 'When could he move that fast!' The rest of the students were just as surprised as him as time seemed to slow to a crawl.

A small portal opened as Midoriya came within striking distance as Shiguraki's hand reached through towards Midoriya's face. "I won't get surprised twice," declared Kurogiri as his partner laughed maniacally. Just as his hand was closing around the frightened student's face, a spike came flying out of nowhere at incredible speed.

"AAAAArgh!" Yelled Shiguraki as the spike shot through his hand, causing him to recoil away from Midoriya. Everyone's attention was directed behind them to a new arrival.

"Keep away from my friends!" Yelled Clay as he used his humming stratus formation to wound a number of villains between him and his friends.

"Clay you're alright!" Exclaimed Slade as his friend approached the rest of the group.

"Relatively speaking," said Clay as some of the villains began rushing them, "Now what do you say we take care of the rest of these pricks." Slade couldn't agree more as he cocked his fist back and readied to throw a punch. But just as the villain was about to reach Slade, a bullet came flying out of nowhere, wounding the charging villain.

"Clay," Asked Slade. "That one wasn't me," Replied Clay as he looked up towards the entrance where the bullet came from. 'I only know one hero who can control bullets,' he thought.

"I know we're running a bit late," Called a strange creature who seemed to be a cross between a small bear and a cat, "But I got all the teachers over here as fast as I could." 'That's principal Nedzu,' Clay realized as he saw the aforementioned being perched on the shoulder of one of the heroes. With the principal were all the rest of the teachers from UA.

'I see what happened,' thought Clay as he noticed Ida standing with the rest of the teachers, 'Iida managed to escape and get the rest of the teachers.' Obviously, the rest of the villains weren't too thrilled about the pro hero's arrival and attempted to fight back. But, between such impressive powers as Present Mike's sonic scream, Ectoplasm's clone attack, and Snipe's bullets the villains were fighting a losing battle.

Shiguraki seemed to realize this as well as he turned to Kurogiri. But just as he was about to enter the warp gate, a couple of spikes shot through his arms and legs, causing the villain to cry out in agony. "This is what you get for hurting my friends and family!" Yelled Clay as he sent some of his cloud blades at the villain.

The blades were blocked, however, as Kurogiri used the portal creating mist from his body to absorb the rest of Clay's attacks. 'No,' Thought Clay as he tried to produce more cloud weapons, 'I can't let him get away after all this!' Clay wasn't the only one who thought this, fortunately as a massive suction began pulling the warp villain toward it.

"Black hole, but how," asked Kurogiri as he looked up to see Thirteen, using their quirk while supported by another hero.

"You'll pay for this All Might!" Seethed Shiguraki as his body disappeared into the warp gate, "Just you wait!" With that final statement, the rest of Shiguraki's head disappeared into the portal, as well as the warp villain.

'They got away,' thought Clay as he clenched his fist, 'But he's right about one thing, there will be a next time.' Clay relaxed himself as he turned to look at his friends. Midoriya's use of his quirk had shattered his legs again as well as his finger, but other than that he was alright. As for the others, no one seemed to be terribly injured in anyway.

Clay moved to join his friends when he suddenly collapsed. "Clay," Said Slade as he moved to check on him, "You alright?"

"Just exhausted and bruised all over," Said Clay as Slade helped him up, "How's everyone else?"

"Kirishima's gonna check on Midoriya, as for everyone else-." A large rumbling drew their attention as a stone wall suddenly shot up, blocking off Kirishima from reaching Midoriya and All Might.

"We have this situation handled," said a hero with a head that appeared to be like a stone block, Cementos. "Please head over to where the other students are."

"Uh, right," said Kirishima as he spared one final glance at the wall before heading back to where the others were. "Hey guys, they want us to head over with everyone else at the entrance."

"We'd best get going then," said Slade as he helped Clay up, "Not much else we can do here."

"Did you see him?" Clay asked suddenly as they headed towards the entrance, "Before the wall went up, did you see All Might's form?"

Slade hesitated for a moment before answering. "Yeah I saw it," said Slade, "It was hard to tell from the smoke, but it seemed like All Might had shrunk somehow."

"I guess that explains something," Said Clay, "But it also leaves a bunch of questions that need to be answered."

"And you're thinking Midoriya knows something about it," said Slade, anticipating his friend's next words.

"I'm thinking as soon as he's recovered," Clay stated, "We're all gonna need to share a few secrets. It's only fair we give Midoriya the whole truth if we're asking him to reveal some big secret."

"We're gonna have to explain anyway," said Slade, "I ran into a familiar face among the villains, it was the lion guy and he wasn't quiet about the fact that he knew who I was."

"Out- $$ ing-standing," remarked Clay as he and Slade made their way up the stairs.

Outside of the USJ

The police had arrived and were currently checking over everyone. Slade was busy talking to Todoroki, Hagakure and the others while Clay sat on a stretcher. A doctor had just finished looking him over and declared that he would be fine, so long as he got plenty of rest. "Hey Clay," said Mina as she walked over to her semi-injured friend, "Are you gonna be alright."

"I'll be fine," said Clay, "According to the doctor I got pretty banged up from getting smacked across the USJ. But it's nothing a few pain killers, some rest, and a whole lot of ice packs can't fix."

"Then if you're feeling okay to talk," said Ojiro as he walked up, "There's a couple things I'd like to ask you and Slade."

"For the last time," said Clay, "I had nothing to do with the random smokescreen in the cafeteria on the first day of class."

"I don't think he's asking about that," Said Slade as he came walking up, followed by a few of the other students, minus Bakugou and Midoriya, "And everyone else here has got about the same questions for me as they likely do for you."

"Like what?" Asked Clay as he sat up straighter on the stretcher, "Are we comparing notes on how everyone else did during the attack?"

"Actually we all have two collective questions," said Iida, "First off, Clay." The engine quirk user pointed at Clay as he adjusted his glasses, "Why on earth did you disobey a direct order from Aizawa sensei?! With your lack of experience you could've easily been killed!"

"Because he may be Aizawa sensei to everyone else," replied Clay, "But to me, he's Uncle Aizawa, or Uncle Dickhead from time to time."

"UNCLE!" Yelled most of the students. "Yes, he's my Uncle," said Clay, "On my mother's side, so that's why I don't have the same last name."

"That certainly explains a lot," said Sero, "Especially where you learned how to do all those fancy tricks with random pieces of cloth."

"Uncle taught me a couple tricks over the years, yes" Said Clay, "Enough to get me out of trouble anyway."

"But even so," said Iida, "You don't have experience fighting villains, none of us do. It's quite possible your presence was a distraction to Aizawa sensei."

"That's where you're wrong," Said Slade, answering for Clay, "Clay knows Aizawa's moves better than almost anyone. As for those chumps we fought, they weren't the first villains me and Clay ever faced."

"So that's why the lion villain recognized you," said Todoroki. "And there was a guy in the fire dome who said he saw Clay on an oil tanker, and he also mentioned a villain named Ghoul Fire."

"That's right," said Clay as he rubbed his head, "I guess I did say I would give you an explanation if we got out of there alive."

"You sure Clay?" Asked Slade as he leaned against one of the vehicles, "You do remember it's a bit of a touchy story."

"You don't have to say anything Slade," Said Clay, "But considering the fact that this is the second time we've encountered some of those guys, we may as well let everyone in on the secret, in case 'he' shows up again."

"You mean Ghoul Fire don't you," Said Ojiro as he shifted uncomfortably, "I know I've heard that name before."

"Because he was once a pro hero," Explained Slade, "'once' being the key word there, he eventually got fed up with not being recognized as much as other heroes and eventually turned into a rather infamous villain."

"I remember now," Said Todoroki, "He was chased out of the city some time ago by the rest of the pros, but not before killing a number of them."

"Which brings up a very good question," Said Tokoyami in his usual serious tone, "What is your relationship to this particular villain?"

Clay took a deep breath as he nodded at Slade, who in turn nodded back. "Ghoul Fire never truly left Japan back then," Said Clay, "Two years ago, he was on an oil tanker which was secretly being used as a quirk fighting ring."

"Those are illegal," Said Todoroki, "How did you get involved with it?"

"We got taken captive," Said Slade, "At the time, Ghoul Fire's crew had mutinied against him and kept him locked up aboard the oil tanker."

"What?!" Exclaimed Mina, "How did you get out of there?!" Oddly enough, Clay had to resist smirking at that question.

"Well to put it simply," Said Clay, "We freed him."

 **The invasion of the USJ is over. But now Clay and Slade must reveal their secrets to their classmates and friends. Hello everyone, I hope you've enjoyed the first season of My Hero Academia: Hailstorm. And I'd like to thank you all so far for the reviews and comments on this story. Be sure to come by next time as we finally learn what happened on the oil tanker, and just who in the world is Ghoul Fire.**


	15. Clay And Slade Origins: Part 1

**Clay And Slade Origins: Part 1**

It had started off as an ordinary enough day. We'd heard there was a new video game coming out and we were on our way to buy it. Slade and I, not really caring for the crowds during that time of day tried finding a different root. That's when Slade came up with the idea to cut through the shipping docks. Suffice it to say, if we'd known what was going to happen, we'd have just put up with the crowds.

Shipping Docks: 2 Years Ago

"Are you really sure this is such a good idea," Asked Clay as they descended a flight of stairs down to the docks, "I mean I want to get there, but isn't this kind of trespassing?"

"It's fine, really," replied Slade, "I double-checked the root to make sure. We're just gonna cut through here real fast and we should be able to get around all the foot traffic between here and the store."

"And it's perfectly legal to take this short cut," Questioned Clay with a raised eyebrow as they walked by some of the larger ships.

"Should be," replied Slade as they entered into an area full of large shipping containers.

"That's not the kind of statement I want to be hearing right now Slade," Commented Clay as they weaved in and around the containers, "The last thing I want to do this evening is be arrested on the way to buy a video game!"

"Oh relax would ya Clay," Replied Slade as they stepped out of the container area, "It's not illegal to take a quick short cut through a port, the worst that could happen to us is-oh crap."

"What," asked Clay as he followed his friend's line of site, and froze. There, not hardly a hundred yards away was an assortment of very unsavory looking characters. What they were doing there, Clay had no idea, but they appeared to be loading some unmarked containers onto a rather large oil tanker.

" # $," They both swore as they moved to take cover behind a nearby mound of crates. "Are those guys what I think they are," asked Slade as he peeked out from behind their hiding spot.

"No doubt about it," Said Clay as he took a look himself, "Villains, and a fair number of them too."

"What do you think they're transporting in those containers," Asked Slade as they retreated behind the crates.

"No clue," Replied Clay as he pulled out his phone, "But I can think of a few people who'd like to find out." Clay typed in the emergency number for calling heroes and waited for someone to pick up. Or at least he would have if a blur of motion didn't suddenly knock the phone from his hand and far out of his reach.

"What the s # ," said Slade as the newcomer crouched on top of a nearby container. It was a purple-haired girl with the features of a grasshopper, and a somewhat insane look in her eye. Her simple wardrobe consisted of shorts, a shirt and a vest.

"Now what do we have here," asked the grasshopper girl, "It looks like some children are out a bit past their bed time."

"Actually we were just heading out of here," Said Clay as he held his hands up innocently, "Not really looking for trouble."

"So you weren't trying to call the cops on us just now," questioned the grasshopper girl.

"Who's 'us'," asked Slade as he stepped forward a bit, "We've been wandering around trying to find our way out of these docks for a while now and the only other person we've actually run into is you, what's your name anyway?"

"Well I suppose I could tell you," said the grasshopper girl as she crouched down, ready to make another jump at them. "It's Guillotine Hopper, and I'll be bringing you to someone who will decide your fate now."

"As much fun as that sounds," Said Clay as he discreetly generated a cloud behind his back, "We really need to RUN!" As he said this, Clay shot a cloud out above their heads. Guillotine Hopper attempted to leap down on them, but missed due to the lack of visibility while Clay and Slade broke into a sprint towards the large containers.

"We need to get back towards the city," Said Slade as they ran through the maze-like configuration of massive containers.

"Well I hope you got a short-cut for that too," Remarked Clay as they turned a few corners. But they found their path cut off by a villain with a pair of axes.

"And just where do you think you're going," Asked the villain as he twirled his axes.

Clay and Slade only slowed down for a moment as Slade took the lead. "We're going through!" Exclaimed Slade as his density increased while he ran. The villain swung his axes at Slade, and broke them against his skin as the density user barreled him over.

"I know this ain't our biggest problem right now, but I really hope we don't get arrested for using our quirks," Said Clay as they exited the field of containers.

"Even if we do, your Uncle can get us out of it right?" Asked Slade as they approached the side of the inner sections of the docks.

"Well first we need to get out of this," Said Clay, "Is your phone working right now?"

"I'm not getting any signal out here," replied Slade as they jumped over some barrels, "I knew my folks shoulda switched services sooner!"

"Out- # $ing-standing," said Clay, "Any other issues we need to worry about while we're running for our lives."

"Yeah," Replied Slade as he pointed ahead of them, "Running the other direction!" Clay looked where his friend was pointing and immediately turned to run the other way. Somehow, a good number of the villains they'd seen earlier had managed to cut off the path ahead of them.

"You gotta be kidding me," exclaimed Clay as they ran back towards the containers. 'All this for taking the wrong short cut,' thought Clay as they wound their way around shipping containers, crates and barrels. 'What would Uncle do at a time like this?' Taking in his surroundings, the cloud user made note of a few small, currently inoperable cranes, as well as a few areas where they could take a sharp turn and not be seen.

"Hey Slade," said Clay as a few ideas formed in his head, "What's your physics stuff say about hitting those cranes?"

"You see cranes," said Slade, quickly catching on to what his friend was suggesting, "I see pendulums!" Quickly downing his density, Slade jumped upwards, upped his density and slammed into a container suspended by one of the cranes, causing it to swing forward. As he dropped back down, the container swung back, slamming into a few other containers which collapsed onto some of their pursuers.

"That's a good start," Said Clay as he began generating some of his cloud quirk, "Let me try something." Making a few quick signals with his other hand, Clay and Slade rushed for an exit between the containers. 'Let's see how smart these guys are,' he thought as he and Slade went opposite directions, hugging the corners of the containers.

As the villains were about to reach the exit themselves, Clay released a large amount of his clouds to generate a type of smokescreen. "What in the-." One of the villains said as they all ran into the cloud. What they didn't see, however, was Clay also creating a hardened rope out of his clouds which he and Slade were both holding on to. The result was of course, spectacular as the villains all comically tripped over the cloud rope and fell into the waters of harbor.

"Wow," Said Slade as they took a moment to watch the bumbling villains try to make their way out of the water, "That worked way better than it should have."

"You're telling me-UUUFFF." Clay responded before he felt a pair of feet ram into his back, knocking him over.

"Clay!" Exclaimed Slade as he tried to help his friend, only to be stopped by another figure dropping down and using an electrical quirk on his own back. "AAAAAAAARGH," he cried in pain as the electricity forced him to his knees.

"A clever pair of boys we got here," said Guillotine Hoppers as she sat on Clay's back to hold him down. "But don't try any other funny tricks with that smokescreen of yours, or my associate over there, Zap, will make things very uncomfortable for your friend." She nodded her head at the blond-haired, gas mask wearing guy holding down Slade, who was more than happy to shock him again in order to get the point across. Clay clenched his fist at the sight of his friend in pain, but eventually relented and let the grasshopper villain haul him to his feet.

"That's a smart boy," Said Guillotine Hopper as they started directing them back towards the oil tanker.

"Hey what about us," asked one of the villains who was just now pulling himself back up onto the dock.

"You morons fell in there," replied Zap as he continued to push Slade towards the oil tanker, "Pull yourselves back out." The rest of the villains groaned at that statement as they continued climbing back onto shore.

"Hey boss," said Zap as they approached the section of the oil tanker which was being loaded, "We caught those trouble makers that Hopper spotted." The man they referred to as the boss stood up from a crate he'd been leaning against and came into full view. He was a large man with tan skin, a number of strange metal lines on his face, dirty blond hair made up in some kind of failed imitation of a Mohawk and a large mustache. His wardrobe consisted of large, brown cargo pants, boots, a large vest which looked like it was stitched together with multiple pieces of fabric and metal plates and a pair of fingerless gloves.

"What, a couple of kids," said the boss villain, sneering with some rather nasty teeth, "And what happened to the rest of the guys I sent after them?"

"They got tripped up in this one's smokescreen quirk and fell in the drink," replied Hopper as she pointed to Clay, "And the rest of them got hit by collapsing containers thanks to that one's strength quirk."

"A strength quirk huh," said the boss as he approached, "We could use another one of them, as for the smoke screen kid I guess he'll be good enough for the warm up fight."

"Uh might I interject for a moment," Said Clay as he tilted his head towards Slade. His friend got the message loud and clear as he swung his still fairly dense arm around, knocking the electric villain away from him as he charged forward. In the same instant, Clay produced a cloud shooting out of the back of his neck, blasting Guillotine Hopper away from him.

"I got your quirk right here!" Yelled Slade as he came within striking distance of the boss villain. But just as Slade was about to make contact, the villain's head morphed into a cannon and fired at point blank range. The blast knocked Slade back several feet as he fell backwards onto the ground.

"Slade!" Exclaimed Clay as he formed a cloud in his hand. Just as the boss villain's head swiveled towards him. Reacting quickly, Clay fired off a cloud right into the barrel of the boss's cannon head, causing him to cough and sputter as the barrel became clogged. Whirling around, he tried to form a weapon with his quirk, but wasn't quick enough as he was tackled to the ground by Guillotine Hopper and Zap.

"Taze 'em," ordered Hopper as she planted her foot on Clay's chest, holding him down. Clay struggled to move, but it was too late as a painful electrical shot through his body. A cry of pain erupted from him as he lost any ability to control his quirk, or move for that matter.

"Get the ## off of him," yelled Slade as he charged forward. But by that point, the cloud in the boss villain's barrel had cleared. The last thing Clay heard before he lost consciousness was the sound of cannon fire.

 **And so, the first part of Clay and Slade's past has been revealed as they're taken aboard the ship which will mark them for the rest of their lives. But who's the boss villain and what does he want with the two friends? Hello everyone, I hope you've been having a great December so far. First, I'd like to say that the next couple of chapters for my other stories will be a little later due to some work related stuff coming up. But don't worry, I'll still be working on the stories when I can. So thanks once again everyone for reviewing, following, and reading. Be sure to stop in next time as Clay and Slade are pitted in the quirk fighting ring. 'Til next time.**


	16. Origins Part 2: The Shredding Cage

**Origins Part 2: The Shredding Cage**

Aboard Villain Oil Tanker

'Uncle was right,' thought Clay as he slowly opened his eyes, 'Getting knocked unconscious sucks ##.' Clay's head felt like it'd been turned inside out and back again and his muscles ached from tensing up. As his eyes opened all the way, his memory came flooding back to him, causing his adrenaline to spike as he shot up. But he didn't get far as he was stopped by a chain which was bolted to the floor behind him.

It was then he noticed that his hands were held behind his back by some kind of metal cuffs. 'Oh great,' he thought, 'None of it was a dream, which means.' Clay looked around for a moment and breathed a sigh of relief when he spotted Slade a few feet next to him, his arms also restrained by cuffs and chains. "Ow," said Slade suddenly as he lifted himself up to a kneeling position, "What hit me?"

"If I was counting right," Answered Clay, "You took a shock and two point-blank cannon blasts."

"Oh was that all," remarked Slade, "I'm surprised my shirt's still somewhat intact considering the last time I got hit with a point blank explosion."

" # $ing Bakugou," Said Clay with a laugh, "You knocked him upside the head but not before you lost your pants to an explosion." Both friends managed to chuckle for a few moments at that before the sound of a metallic door opening cut them off.

"Well it looks like the two little kiddies are awake," said the boss villain, who was accompanied by Guillotine Hopper and an unnamed lion villain.

"Ah crap," said Clay, "I'd hoped your ugly mug was just a horrible nightmare."

"Oh the nightmare is just beginning," replied the boss villain as he turned to his associates, "Bring 'em out." The two villains complied as they hauled Clay and Slade to their feet, disconnected their chains and led them outside the room. Both of them took in the sheer size of the vessel they were in while walking, noting that it had several catwalks crisscrossing all around it and numerous cells, some of which held prisoners.

"Keep moving," Said Hopper as she pushed Clay by his shoulder to make him walk faster. 'We're gonna need one heck of a plan to get out of this,' he thought as they entered another room which was filled to the brim with villains of all shapes and sizes. A collection of shouts, cheers, and nasty comments were thrown at the two prisoners as they were led to the center of the crowd. Eventually the head villain raised his hands, ordering the mob of villains to quiet down a bit.

"My fellow villains!" Said the leader, "For quite a while now we've managed to operate on this oil tanker undisturbed by the local authorities or even the heroes." A cheer rang out from the other villains as the boss continued. "But tonight, for the first time since I've taken over we've encountered trouble makers," The head villain removed a couple of school I.D.'s from his pocket, "Slade Mason and Clay Cero, might I ask what a couple of children were doing spying on us?"

"We were taking a short cut," Answered Clay, "In hindsight we probably shoulda paid more attention to the warning signs about #$ heads in the area." An angry murmur went through the crowd at that remark.

"Well well?" Said the head villain, "It seems this one's got a bit of spunk in 'em."

"Hey could you do that thing where you turn your head into a cannon," Said Slade. "I like the sound of my ears ringing way better than that $$ fountain you call a mouth."

"How dare you refer to boss Blaster Head like that!" Yelled the lion villain.

"Huh," Said Clay and Slade at the same time, "You're name is Blaster Head?"

"That's right," Said the head villain, "The name of your worst nightmare standing before you is BLASTER HEAD!" Silence fell over the room at that declaration for several moments. Then, the silence was broken by laughter. Clay and Slade's laughter to be more precise.

"You're kidding me right," Said Clay as he tried to stop laughing, "Of all the names you could've picked, Blaster Head was your best option?"

"It is a name which has struck fear into the hearts of all my enemies!" Declared Blaster Head.

"You're sure your enemies aren't just trying not to laugh," Replied Slade with a grin on his face. "I mean really, you wake up every morning stuck with that name."

"He's probably got a cannonball for a brain," added Clay, "Who else looks in a mirror and says 'Blaster Head is the most ##kicking name out there.'" Clay imitated Blaster Head's voice to make it sound more hilarious as both he and Slade burst out with a fresh set of laughter.

"I just wonder what his second choice was," Said Slade, "Ball Blower!" This actually made a few of the villains laugh, "Beware of the dreaded Ball Blower!" At this point quite a few people were actually laughing, which of course greatly angered Blaster Head.

"ENOUGH!" Yelled Blaster Head as his head transformed into a cannon and fired off a round at the ceiling. Everyone else shut up, save for Clay.

"Careful there," Said Clay, "This tub might not have oil in it but I imagine it still has plenty of fuel to burn."

"You two are very lucky you know that," Said Blaster Head as his head transformed back to normal, "I should kill you both right now, but I hear you two managed to get the better of some of my men, so." The boss villain raised his hand to give a signal as several stage lights came on, revealing a large, circular cage.

"Welcome to the Sleeping Ghoul's main attraction, our quirk fighting arena 'The Shredding Cage!'" A loud cheer rose from the gathered villains as Clay and Slade were both pushed towards the arena. The arena floor itself was shaped like a hexagonal MMA arena, decorated with a kind of flaming skull emblem in the center of it.

"Now my fellow villains!" boomed Blaster Head as Clay and Slade had their restraints removed and were pushed into the cage. "Tonight we have something a little special for you, a pair of troublesome kids." A chorus of disapproval rained from the crowd as the two friends looked around. "I know, I know," Answered Blaster head as the other villains quieted, "Why not kill them now, I've asked myself that question. Well from what I hear, a good number of you all got blindsided by these so-called kids!"

This time a murmur ran through the crowd as a number of the villains avoided eye contact with their leader. "Well fortunately for you all, I am feeling generous," Said Blaster Head, "You see we've been needing some fresh blood for our arena, and you all know how we test new initiates?"

"We crush 'em down!" Answered the villains in a cheer.

"If they survive the crushing?!" Questioned Blaster Head to the whole crowd.

"They get to live another day!" Yelled the villains in answer.

"And if they should lose the first match of the crushing?!" Asked Blaster Head with his hands raised high.

"We show 'em why it's called the 'Shredding Cage'!" Cheered the villains.

"That's right," Affirmed Blaster Head as he turned to the two captives, "That should explain enough for the two of you. If you want to survive, you win the match, if not." The head villain pulled his thumb across his throat, his meaning more than clear enough. "Now, who wants some payback?!"

Several villains raised their hands, a number of whom had bruises or looked like their hairdos had been ruined by water. "You two in front," Blaster Head pointed to a muscled up villain wearing a vest and shorts with spiky hair and another one wearing a biker jacket, "You got hit by the container right?" The two villains shouted in affirmation. "Well get on up here, and show these two how you feel about it!"

The two villains were more than happy to comply as they walked through the cage and climbed into the ring. The cage door was closed behind them as the two stood ready to charge. "Slade," Whispered Clay, "We need to keep these guys guessing about our quirks."

"They already think super strength is mine and smokescreen is yours," Slade whispered back, "Why shatter their delusions?"

"ARE YOU READY FOR SOME CARNAGE!" Yelled Blaster Head. His question was met with a thunderous roar, "Then let the match begin!" Transforming his head into a cannon again, Blaster Head fired a cannon ball at a large bell hanging nearby. The resounding clang signaled the beginning of the match as the two villains advanced on Clay and Slade.

'This is for real,' thought Clay as he clenched his fists in anticipation, 'just do what uncle taught you, breath, assess, find a weak spot.' The spiky-haired villain attacked first as a number of spikes sprouted from his body. Clay and Slade both moved out of the way of the spike quirk user while the second villain pursed his lips and spat some kind of purple liquid. It landed on Clay's jacket and immediately started melting the material.

"&*$#," Swore Clay as he hastily removed his jacket and tossed it on the ground. The acidic substance chewed through the rest of the fabric in no time. Clay was so distracted by this sight that he was nearly hit by another attack from the spiked villain. Fortunately, Slade managed to ram into him at the last second and send the villain flying into the cage.

"You owe me on that one," Said Slade. Clay would've answered, but instead he shot a cloud from his hand at the spitting villain who'd been aiming for Slade this time. The villain coughed and sputtered as his whole head was encased in a small cloud.

"Take 'em out!" Said Clay as he watched the spike villain starting to rise again. Slade didn't need to be told twice as he charged forward and slammed a vicious right cross into the villain's face. The spitting quirk user reeled back in agony as he clutched his crushed nose with one hand while trying to brush himself off where some of his acid had landed.

In the meantime, Clay produced an even larger cloud as the spiked villain charged them once again. Positioning himself just right, Clay rolled out of the way at the last second as the spiked villain ran through the cloud, and straight into the bars of the cage. "Coming your way," Called Clay as he ducked down and kicked the stumbling villain's legs out from under him. Slade turned around and close-lined the villain, causing him to flip forward feet first.

"These guys might look ferocious," Said Clay as he and Slade approached the villain.

"But I think that's all they've got going for them," Finished Slade as they both took hold of the spike villain's arms and pulled with all their might. The villain cried in surprise as he was lifted off the floor and thrown straight into the acid villain. The two began screaming in agony as the spike villain got covered in acid spit, while the spitting villain took several jabs from his partner's spikes.

"Okay we give," said the spitting villain, "Just get this guy off of me already!"

"And get me some chemical wash!" Exclaimed the spike villain. The cage doors were opened then as a couple of villains in some type of medical outfits separated their defeated opponents. A chorus of boos and jeers followed as Blaster Head walked into the arena.

"Well, well, well," Said Blaster Head, "Now I'm starting to see why my men had so much trouble with you two." Blaster Head then turned to the rest of the villains. "Well what do we think, are they keepers?!" It was impossible to distinguish the cheers from the shouts of disapproval, so Blaster Head raised his hands.

"I know, many of you still want a shot at these two," He said, "And you'll have it, so how about we have another-."

"Wait, wait a minute," said a small villain as she came running onto the arena floor. She was a small woman with lizard-like features, including a short lizard tail. She wore a beanie, a vest, a white shirt and black pants with work boots.

"What is it Uana?" Asked Blaster Head as he bent down to listen. His expression shifted from curious to displeased rather quickly. "You're kidding, right now?" The villain known as Uana nodded her head as her lizard eyes darted from one direction to the next. "Alright then," Blaster Head turned to the rest of the villains, "Somehow word got out about our little misfortune on the dock, we need to get this ship moving now!" A good bit of grumbling was heard from the villains at that comment.

"You'll really have something to groan about if the authorities get us, now get this tub moving!" Ordered Blaster Head as he turned to Uana, "Show these two to their cells, keep a close eye on them and make sure they understand their situation." Uana nodded in understanding as she moved over to Clay and Slade.

"If you really think we're just gonna follow you to a cell," Clay started to say.

"A cell is better than what will happen if you two try to escape now," Said Uana as she moved closer and began to whisper, "There are far too many onboard, but if you come with me, I know someone who might be able to help."

"And why should we believe you," Questioned Slade as he crossed his arms.

"What you believe is up to you," Answered Uana, "But I can guarantee no one else on this ship will be willing to go against Blaster Head." Clay and Slade didn't have anything else to say to that as the lizard villain began to head out of the arena. The two friends followed shortly after.

Uana led them up several flights of stairs and across a number of catwalks. "So why exactly does this person want to see us," Asked Clay. "And won't the other villains get suspicious if they see you taking us to him?"

"This specific cell block was designed to restrain those with powerful quirks," Answered Uana, "The strength boy's cell just so happens to be right past the cell we're going to."

"And if they see us talking to him?" Asked Slade as they approached a cell with a large iron, vault style door.

"They'll just assume he's doing it out of boredom," Explained Uana, "He hasn't been let out of this cell since Blaster Head took over."

"Who exactly?" Asked Clay as they stopped in front of the cell. Uana answered by sliding open a small door which allowed them to peer inside of the dark confines of the cell.

"Thank you Uana," Said a raspy but surprisingly powerful voice. Uana nodded as she moved out of the way to allow Clay and Slade to look inside. "You two are younger than I thought," Said the man in the cell, "Tell me, who taught you how to fight like that?"

"Who wants to know?" Asked Slade. The prisoner laughed at that question for a moment as he leaned forward to reveal his face. An orange mask with a skull covered the top of his face. The rest of his outfit consisted of orange and red pants, gloves, a vest and a number of loose pieces of cloth draping from his arms, waist and neck.

"You've got some gall, that's good," Said the prisoner, "As for my name, it's a little before your time so I'll forgive you if you haven't heard of me. Call me Ghoul Fire."

 **Ghoul fire is revealed, but who exactly is he and why is he imprisoned onboard an oil tanker anyway. More importantly, what exactly does he want with Clay and Slade? Hello everyone, hope you enjoyed this chapter and thank you for taking the time to comment and review. Come on by next time as Clay and Slade weigh their options for escape aboard the Sleeping Ghoul. 'Til next time.**


	17. Origins Part 3: Ghoul Fire

**Origins Part Three: Ghoul Fire**

Onboard Villain ship: The Sleeping Ghoul

"Ghoul Fire," Repeated Clay, "As in the former hero turned villain Ghoul Fire?"

"That's me," Responded Ghoul Fire with what Clay was guessing was a grin underneath his mask, "I'm surprised you know about me. I've been off the radar for a few years now."

"A story about a hero turned villain ain't that easily forgotten," Said Slade, "But last I checked, you fled the country a couple years back. There were even rumors that you were dead floating around among the hero community."

"You two are surprisingly well informed about this," Said Ghoul Fire, "Then again, you two are far different from most kids I've met. You even knew to hide the real nature of your quirks."

"Oh that," Said Clay, "I make smokescreens and he's strong, not much to that really."

"Don't play dumb with me," Said Ghoul Fire, "I didn't make it as a Pro hero without learning to notice details. Those morons down there might not have noticed, but smoke doesn't linger on someone's head like that. And as for your friend, every time he used his so-called 'strength,' Uana noticed the floor sank ever so slightly. So tell me, what are your quirks again?"

Clay and Slade exchanged a look before Slade decided to speak up. "My quirk isn't really strength, it's density alteration. I'm basically throwing my weight around."

"Interesting," Said Ghoul Fire, "Such a simple quirk, yet you use it to such great effect."

"I make good use of it," Said Slade, "It's amazing what you can do with a simple application of physics."

"And I'm guessing your quirk is actually a form of smoke manipulation?" Said Ghoul Fire.

"Clouds actually," Said Clay as he produced a small wisp from his hand, "I can generate them, control their shape, as well as their density."

"Tell me," Said Ghoul Fire as he leaned forward a bit, "You can shape them into just about anything right, have you ever tried keys?"

"I've used my quirk to pick a few locks before," Answered Clay, "But I doubt I could open a sealed door like this, if that's what you want."

"The door won't be a problem for me," Said Ghoul Fire as he held up his chained hands, "The problem I have are these chains and this cell. It's designed to spray fire retardant and antioxidants whenever it detects even the slightest spark. But say you got these cuffs off of me, I'd be free to reach my hand out of the viewing window when it's open and destroy the lock with my quirk."

"That sounds great in theory," Said Slade, "But there's still an entire ship full of villains between us and escape. That's assuming you weren't planning on killing us the moment you got out of that cell."

"Ah yes, very good," Said Ghoul Fire, "You two are smart. Smart enough to know not to trust so easily."

"You're a villain," Said Clay, "And not just a regular one either. Once you turned your quirk to lethal use, you gained far more attention and notoriety than you ever had as a hero. We'd be stupid to trust you at all."

"Ah yes," Said Ghoul Fire, "Ironic really. I tried so hard for so long to get recognized while I was a pro hero. But the world of so-called 'heroes' became more and more a contest of how much recognition could be won as opposed to actual heroics. And given my somewhat frightening costume, lack of charm and a quirk limited to mostly combat, it was no surprise I wasn't very popular."

"So you decided to turn to villainy," Clay said, "Using your quirk to wreak havoc among police and heroes alike to amass money from wherever you could steal it from. But then you ran into All Might and a few other heroes. I believe you were finally taken down by Eraser Head. That should've been the end of it right there, but before you got to prison, a number of villains you'd made friends with, or hired, busted you out. After that you disappeared."

"It looks like he wound up in a cell anyway," remarked Slade as he crossed his arms.

"Yet another mistake of my own doing," Said Ghoul Fire, "You see I managed to get some other villains together and start this little quirk fighting ring here. Some shadowy rich folks pay top dollar for their, illegal entertainment. Of course, we steered clear of Japan while also picking up gigs transporting contraband and other various items."

"That still doesn't explain why you're in here," Said Clay, "I'm guessing it has something to do with that Blaster Head prick."

"Yes, one of my former Lieutenants," Replied Ghoul Fire, "He was never a fan of the way I ran things over the last three years. Avoiding Japan and allowing some of the weaker villains like Uana stations of command. He had his uses, which was why I kept him around. But I underestimated his influence among my men, and then Zap betrayed me. I was taken by surprise and wound up in here."

"Oh that dick," Said Slade as he rubbed his shoulder where Zap had shocked him. "Yeah we've met him already."

"Now that Blaster Head's in charge, everyone left who was loyal to me was either killed or forced to work for him," Explained Ghoul Fire.

"It's not a good working environment," Said Uana, "At least not for the smaller villains like me. We get treated like unwanted pets. And it's not much better for the prisoners who can't fight well."

"Oh wow," Said Clay sarcastically, "Complaints about the work environment on a ship full of villains. I've never heard of such a thing."

"I realize our situation doesn't really have any bearing on either of you," Said Ghoul Fire, "But you're here now, with your own problems to deal with."

"Which brings up one really big question," Said Clay, "Why are we even talking to a villain in the first place? Especially one as dangerous as you?"

"Ah yes," Said Ghoul Fire, "I got a bit sidetracked. You see I had Uana bring you two over here because you and I can help each other."

"Let me guess," Said Slade, "You want us to get you out of here."

"I knew you two were smart," Said Ghoul Fire with a slight smirk, "Yes I need help to get out of here. Uana is good, but the only key to this cell is closely watched by our resident lion villain. But with you I won't even need a key. Once I'm out, my quirk should be able to handle most of the villains onboard."

"Most of them?" Questioned Clay, "You're not even sure escape is possible even once you're out of your cell?"

"You should be glad really," Said Ghoul Fire, "It means I'll still need you two backing me up while Uana gets a passageway open for us."

"And what's to keep you from offing us once we're out on the deck," Asked Slade.

Ghoul Fire seemed to think for a moment before answering. "You, cloud boy? Can your quirk float or fly?"

"I can fly a couple people at best," Replied Clay, "With a lot of concentration and no distractions, I might even be able to fly another two on a separate cloud."

"There ya go," Said Ghoul Fire, "Even if I get above deck after slaughtering everyone on this tub, parking this thing with just two people is a hassle. And that's of course assuming we're near land when the break out happens. So I'll need you to take me to shore in a way which'll cause far less of a scene than crashing a giant ship into the dock."

Clay and Slade looked at each other as they thought the issue over. It was obvious they couldn't fight their way through themselves. But, the guy offering to help them was definitely not the most trustworthy of individuals. "The shift change is about over," Said Ghoul Fire, "I need to work out a couple extra details. So should you decide to help out your only ticket off of this ship, just let Uana know when she passes by."

"And should we refuse," Asked Slade as they turned to leave.

"I doubt you will," Said Ghoul Fire with what was probably a smirk, "But take your time. I've been locked up in this cell for three months now. What's one more day?" Clay and Slade had no answer to that as they walked away. Uana led them to separate cells, saying Blaster Head wouldn't allow them together. Something about keeping them from coming up with escape plans together.

Though it seemed it was a waste of time on the villain's part. Clay wracked his brain nearly the whole night, but he couldn't see enough from his cell to tell where all the guards were. But even if he could, there was still the matter of getting past all of them. 'The big problem are those Lieutenants of his,' thought Clay, 'So long as he's got at least that Hopper-chick and Zap, we'll be hard pressed to escape before we're overrun by the rest of the villains.'

No matter how hard he thought about it. They were gonna need some help if they were gonna get off of this ship. 'This goes against a large number of things my Uncle taught me,' thought Clay, 'but what choice do we really have?' With that thought heavy on his mind, Clay finally fell asleep.

The Shredding Cage: The Next Day

'Not good,' thought Clay as he moved out of the way of his opponent's jellyfish like tendrils. The villain had been chasing him around the arena for a good bit of time now, her tendrils able to keep him at bay so far. It didn't help that this was his fifth match in a row, and while the first couple had been simple, he'd taken a good few hits in the last two. Worse, he was still trying to maintain the illusion that his quirk was just a smokescreen.

"Now quit running away little fish," Said the tendril villain, "I was promised the chance to discipline you both if I won. So quit delaying the inevitable."

"First off," Said Clay as he backed against the bars, "That sounds terrible. Second off, if we're talking discipline you may want to start with your partner." The tendril lady tilted her head in slight confusion, failing to notice what Clay had. That is until her comrade, a prick with giant crab claws came flying into her. Both villains yelped in surprise as Slade moved up next to Clay.

"So, how's your fight going?" Asked Slade between breaths. He'd taken a few stings initially before they'd switched opponents in the fight.

"About as well as yours I think," Replied Clay as the two villains finally untangled themselves, "Probably a little worse to be honest."

"Any ideas," Asked Slade as the villains prepared to charge at them again.

"One," Said Clay as he started forming clouds around his hands, "So long as you don't mind being a bowling ball."

"What do ya need," Asked Slade as he increased the density of his body again.

"Just a leg up," Replied Clay as he produced even more clouds. Slade nodded as the two villains charged them again. Acting quickly, Slade held out his hands as Clay stepped up. Using both hands, Slade catapulted Clay into the air and over the surprised villains, who stopped in mid-run. 'Try this,' thought Clay as he released the largest spread of his clouds yet, and this time with increased density.

The two villains began coughing as the air around them became far too dense for them to breathe in properly. At least for the moment. 'Now the fun part,' thought Clay as he landed and almost immediately jumped to the side. Not hardly a moment later, the sound of Slade barreling into the two villains was heard as they were knocked out of the cloud and into the cage wall near Clay.

"Gosh that move always makes me dizzy," Said Slade as he stood up, "Jumping and spinning through the air like that."

"I imagine the extra dense air doesn't help matters," Said Clay as he regrouped with his friend. "But ya think you got one more spin in ya?"

"I do if we're doing the whipping cloud maneuver," Replied Slade as they watched the two villains stagger to their feet.

"I knew you'd say that," Said Clay, with a bit of a groan. The whipping cloud was a little trick He and Slade had come up with as more of a playground trick. But, as luck would have it, the move turned out to be a useful combat maneuver as well. Well, lucky to a degree anyway.

As the two villains came in for one last charge, Clay jumped to the side as Slade held his hands out and grabbed him. "Here's the wind up!" Exclaimed Slade as he pulled Clay off of his feet. 'I hate this part,' thought Clay as he was swung around in the air, rather quickly. As the villains charged them, Clay released more clouds from his feet, obscuring their view while Slade stepped forward and adjusted the angle of his swing.

"What's going on," Said the crab-clawed villain, "I can't see a &$ ^ing thing."

"You don't wanna see this coming," Said Slade as he spun forward into striking distance. With one final swing, Slade swung Clay's feet into the heads of the villains, knocking them back into the cage bars. And this time, they were finally unconscious.

"Whew," Said Slade as he slowed down and set Clay back on the ground, "I forgot that one makes me dizzy too."

"You're dizzy," Said Clay as he fell back onto the floor in a sitting position, "You're not the one getting spun around at who knows how many miles an hour."

"Yeah but I did that bowling ball thing just a second ago," Said Slade as he also sank to the floor, "So I was a bit dizzy to begin with."

"Fair enough," Replied Clay between ragged breaths. The sound of the cage door opening drew their attention then as Blaster Head walked in. It was at this point that Clay realized the sound of the screaming crowd. Some were cheering, some were booing, and some were just yelling for the heck of it.

"Well, well, well," Said Blaster Head as he approached them, "You two survived five rounds of tag team. I guess we'll be keeping you around after all. Our clients will pay top dollar to see upcoming champions."

"You'll forgive us for not sounding too enthusiastic about that, pubic head," Said Slade as they slowly got to their feet.

"Still got an attitude I see," Said Blaster Head as he crossed his arms, "But that'll get fixed soon enough. It always does."

"Hasn't done much for you so far," Said Clay, "You still sound like an over the top ##hole to me."

"Keep it up," Said Blaster Head as Uana walked into the cage behind him, "I can always separate you two for the next couple of matches." Clay and Slade didn't have a response for that as the head villain turned to Uana. "Take them back to their cells and get them fed and cleaned up. The ship will be leaving in the morning."

"Understood sir," Said the small lizard woman as she beckoned the two friends to follow her. Not really having much choice in the matter, Clay and Slade did as she asked. They walked in silence for a bit until they were out of earshot of anyone who might hear them. "Have you two reached a decision?" Questioned Uana as they arrived on the next level.

"It's not like we really have much of a choice," Said Slade as they turned a corner, "If this guy is as strong as he says he is, then we stand an actual chance of escaping."

"But that's part of the problem," Said Clay, "Since he's so strong, he could just kill us the moment we free him."

"Ghoul Fire's plan only requires you in order to free him, Mr. Cero," Explained Uana, "I have been assigned to discreetly free your friend with the only set of keys I could swipe. Meaning once you free him, at the very least Mr. Mason here will have his own chance to escape in the chaos that will surely follow."

"Okay so maybe one of us gets out," Said Slade, "And that's a big maybe."

"Ghoul Fire is not the type of villain to kill without reason," Explained Uana. "I have been with him since he acquired this vessel, and never once did he kill those who were loyal to him. And while you two aren't technically loyal to him, you'll be doing him a great service by freeing him. I imagine he'd even be willing to grant a few favors, given the circumstances."

"Is that so," Said Clay as they approached Ghoul Fire's cell, "If that's the case, I think I might have a couple in mind." Uana nodded at that as she opened the viewing window on the cell.

"So tell me," Said Ghoul Fire as he leaned forward out of the shadows, "Have you decided."

"We didn't really have that many options in the first place," Said Slade, "But I think you knew that already."

"I went through great pains to make this ship difficult to escape," Said Ghoul Fire, "As much as Blaster Head detested my command, he kept most of my protocols and even the name of this ship. He said it was paying homage to a defeated foe. But ironically, it appears to be the key to my own escape now."

"Hold up just a minute," Said Clay, "We didn't say we agreed to your little plan yet. If we're going to free you, we're gonna need a couple of assurances."

"Oh, enlighten me," Said Ghoul Fire, actually seeming to smirk a bit at Clay's statement.

"First off," Said Clay, "I need your absolute word of honor, swearing on not just your life but Uana's life here as well that you won't kill us the moment we free you."

"As I explained before, that would be counter-productive," Said Ghoul Fire, "I'll still need the both of you after I'm freed."

"But do you swear, even when we're all free and clear and everything's hunky dory," Asked Clay as he crossed his arms.

"As you wish," Said Ghoul Fire, "I swear upon my life and Uana's that I will not kill either of you. Anything else?"

"You leave Japan pronto," Said Clay, "I don't care if you gotta hop on a rowboat to do it. You leave this country, take whoever or whatever you need and never come back."

"Interesting," Said Ghoul Fire as he scratched his chin, "But what's to keep the other heroes from capturing me while I'm trying to leave? This escape will most definitely draw some attention."

Clay sighed before answering that particular question. "If you leave, Slade and I will keep quiet about the fact that you were here. We'll deny even having heard a word of you aboard this ship, even if All Might himself asks."

"Wait what," Said Slade, "You can't be serious right now Clay. Lying to pro heroes."

"I think it's a fantastic idea," Said Ghoul Fire with what was probably a grin, "I will already owe the both of you greatly if this works. And I hadn't planned to really stay in Japan anyway. So I agree, free me and I shall leave this nation, never to return."

"Agreed," Said Clay as they turned to Slade, "Can you live with this arrangement?" The look on Slade's face said he wasn't happy about this arrangement in the slightest. But eventually he sighed and relented.

"Just get us out of here first," Said Slade, "Do that and I'll honor the agreement as well."

"Splendid," Said Ghoul Fire as he leaned forward more, "Now we'll need to wait until nightfall to begin. So here's the plan for once that happens."

A Few Hours Later

Clay stared up at the ceiling of his cell from the cot he was resting on. 'This is definitely not something I ever thought I'd have to be doing. A jailbreak from inside of a villain controlled ship, with the only way out being help from another villain.' Clay adjusted his hands behind his head as he began tapping his foot against the wall. 'But Uncle always said, even the small choices can have unexpected effects. Though I don't think even he would've expected something like this.'

The sound of his lock opening interrupted his thoughts as Clay sat up from his cot and looked at the door. As it opened, there stood Uana, exactly as planned. "We need to hurry," Said Uana, "The guard shift just ended and everyone else is more or less asleep. But it won't last very long."

"With luck this won't take too long," Said Clay, "Just head over and get Slade free. I know the way from here." Uana nodded as they split up and headed to the two different cells. The route to Ghoul Fire's cell wasn't all that complicated, fortunately, and Clay was able to find his way there in about a minute. As he arrived, he slid the viewing window open as quickly and as quietly as he could.

"Right on time," Said Ghoul Fire as he held out his hands. Clay took a moment to examine the design before he held his hand up and produced a small cloud from his hand. "Best work fast," said Ghoul Fire as the cloud covered the key hole on his binders, "I don't have to remind you what'll happen if I'm not free before the guards show up for the next shift."

"Then you'd best let me concentrate," Replied Clay as he moved his fingers a bit, causing some of the cloud to enter into the key hole. It was tricky for sure, Clay had used this quirk to open simple door locks before. But these were more advanced cuffs made for holding those with strength quirks, or quirks produced from the hands. But on the upside, they were way outdated and still required a regular key to unlock. Meaning all he had to do was manipulate the mechanism just right.

The cloud shifted and bent as Clay felt around the mechanism for a few minutes, until finally, he heard the click he'd been waiting for. The hand cuffs fell open, revealing Ghoul Fire's semi-burnt hands as they clattered to the floor. "Now that's much better," Said Ghoul Fire as he bent and flexed his fingers, "Alright, stand back." Moving away from the viewing window, Clay watched as Ghoul Fire stuck his hand outside of the cell.

In the next instant, a type of bright orange plasma formed in his hand, taking the shape of a slow-moving, ghostly flame. Ghoul Fire opened his hand slightly further as the plasma shot into the air at an incredible speed before curving around and impacting against the lock on the cell door. One hole burned through after another as the plasma hit the lock a few more times until it finally fell off in a heap of seared metal. "At long last," Said Ghoul Fire as he pried the door open and stepped out, "Nothing like the smell of fresh air."

"It's fresher up top," Said Clay as he turned to go, "So let's get moving before-." Clay's sentence was cut short as a pair of guards came walking around the corner. A guy with a mullet and another villain with a helmet that looked like an eyeball. " $$ they're early," Clay thought aloud as he generated some of his clouds. The villains, likewise, raised their hands to use their own quirks.

But they never had a chance. The moment their hands even began raising, Ghoul Fire shot out two balls of plasma which raced forward and burned a small hole through each of their hearts. "You're right, no time for hesitation," Said Ghoul Fire as the two balls of plasma returned to the palm of his hand. The two villains collapsed shortly after that.

"Holy $ %," Said Clay, "You, uh, certainly earned your reputation."

"You could do much the same with your clouds," replied Ghoul Fire, "If you just let go of your restraint and treat these villains for what they are right now. Not people, but obstacles." Clay wanted to respond to that, but they had other problems.

"Oh $ %," yelled a villain from down below as he slammed a hand on one of the intercoms, "He's loose, Ghoul Fire is Lo-AAAAARGH!" His sentence was ended by a streak of hot plasma shooting through his heart.

"Time to leave," Said Ghoul Fire as he began walking. Clay wanted to run, but knew that he needed to stick by the villain if he was going to make it. So, despite his better judgement, he strolled along next to Ghoul Fire as a group of villains came running around the corner. With just a twitch of his fingers, Ghoul Fire sent out two plasma balls not much larger than marbles which carved their way through the chests of all the villains in the way. It was so quick, the villains all seemed to hit the floor at about the same time as Clay and Ghoul Fire walked by them.

Clay glanced at the faces of the dead villains, noting how the light had left their eyes. 'What would Uncle think of this,' thought Clay as Ghoul Fire pushed open the door which led out to the main catwalks. A number of other catwalks crisscrossed above and below them. And each and every one of them was filling up with villains running along them. Ghoul Fire, however, didn't seem concerned in the slightest.

Clay saw why when he conjured up a total of four plasma balls. With a few twitches of his fingers, Ghoul Fire sent them flying out in all directions, traveling from one catwalk to the next. The villain's cried out in pain, one after the other as the plasma orbs shot through them. And all the while, Ghoul Fire was smiling. 'So this is what a pro is truly capable of,' thought Clay as he watched the bodies fall.

But even with four orbs, there were still a few villains who were approaching them on the main catwalk. 'Don't think about what you gotta do, just do it,' thought Clay as he formed a pair of clouds. As some of the villains approached, Clay fired off two clouds the size of baseballs, and about the same density, at high speed. The result was a pair of villains getting their teeth knocked out as Clay then redirected the clouds to another set of villains.

'This is strange,' thought Clay as he kept redirecting the clouds into more villains, 'It shouldn't be this easy, I should feel some kind of remorse, even if these are villains.' But the feeling didn't come as his quirk flew around, accompanying Ghoul Fire's own, already deadly quirk, creating a spectacle of cloud and plasma which downed any villain foolish enough to even try approaching them. "Incoming!" yelled Slade's voice from above.

Clay looked up as his friend came falling down from the top catwalk with his feet out underneath him. With a yell, Slade's currently dense body impacted against one of the catwalks above them, causing it to bow inward and fling a number of villains off of it. 'There's my best friend,' thought Clay as Slade jumped off the bent cat walk and dropped down to the next one. His high density brought the same result as last time, adding even more villains to the raining bodies.

Slade repeated this process a couple more times until he landed right behind Clay and Ghoul Fire. "What'd I miss," Said Slade as they climbed the stairs up into the ships main control room.

"Just a bit of a slaughter fest," Said Clay, "So we're good so far."

"Is Uana on her way," Asked Ghoul Fire as they entered the control room, which was dotted with numerous monitors. But currently unoccupied, given that the villains who had been in there were killed the moment they rushed out.

"She's on her way to, wherever you decided to send her," Replied Slade as he took up a position by one of the doors.

"Good," Said Ghoul Fire as he released his orbs into the air while operating the controls to open all of the prison doors. On the monitors, a large number of villains were approaching from all directions. "Because the entire area outside of this room, is now a death zone." With a snap of his fingers, Ghoul Fire sent all four of his plasma balls flying throughout the ship. Clay sent his clouds out as well to cover any gaps while Slade stood guard to take on anyone lucky enough to get close.

Villain after villain fell, by cloud, plasma, fist, and some occasional falling debris as the entire oil tanker was turned into a gory spectacle. Bodies fell, a number of lights shattered, barrels and cargo were cut free by plasma to run amok. And Ghoul Fire was loving every second of it as he laughed like a maniac. 'I think I can see why All Might and Uncle were called in to take this guy down,' thought Clay as he watched, 'All the damage he could've caused if he'd just decided to go crazy.'

But Clay pushed those thoughts to the back of his mind as he focused on what needed to be done at the moment. Before long, the ship had grown eerily quiet as Clay and Slade stood breathing heavily. While Ghoul Fire was still chuckling a bit, that is until he caught sight of something, or rather someone on the monitors. "Hiding in the engine room are you," Said Ghoul Fire as he located Blaster Head, "With the rest of your elite guard. A good strategy against a regular adversary."

But Ghoul Fire was not a regular adversary, and to prove it, he sent all four of his plasma orbs flying into the engine room. As they approached, all four of them combined into a baseball-sized orb which sped towards Blaster Head. The lead villain quickly shifted his head into a cannon and fired, but the shot was split in half by the plasma ball as it sailed past Blaster Head.

The villain turned around as his head morphed back, thinking the attack had missed him. Only for his face to form the ever so lovable 'oh $ $' look. The plasma orb impacted against the main fuel tank of the ship, causing it to ignite. The following explosion managed to engulf Blaster Head and Zap as a chain reaction of other explosions began quickly consuming the ship.

"Are you insane," Said Clay as he watched the monitors, "You just set off a chain reaction which could sink the entire ship!"

"That was the point," Said Ghoul Fire as he turned to leave, "No one left on this ship is loyal to me, save for Uana. So it's time to move on to other enterprises."

"Couldn't you at least wait until we got off to blow the ship up," Slade pointed out. "I like my explosions at a safe distance."

"Then you should head up to the top deck," Said Ghoul Fire, "We should be close enough to shore for you to fly over with your clouds. As for me, I should've mentioned it before, but I've got my own way off. So catch you kids later." With a final wave, Ghoul Fire walked back through the door, still strolling like he had all the time in the world.

"What's with that guy," Asked Slade as they headed out the other doorway.

"He's a former pro turned villain," Said Clay as they began running for the top deck, "It's expected he'd have a few issues."

"Well we've got our own issues to deal with anyway," Said Slade as they ran from the continuing explosions, "Now let's get out of here!" And so they ran, fighting off Guillotine Hopper and the Lion villain as they went. Once they reached the top deck, they were hit by flaming debris during their escape. Marking this event on both their bodies, and their minds for the rest of their lives.

Flash Back Ends

 **And so the origin of Clay Cero and Slade Mason comes to a close. If the last part seems a bit confusing, it's because it was already covered in the second chapter of the story. And I figured we didn't need to rehash it just for this. Now for the more important part. I'd like to say I'm quite thankful for all the support y'all have given for this story. It's been a bit difficult coming up for exciting bits while following the main storyline of the show. So thanks again for your comments and reviews. Be sure to stop in next time as Clay and Slade prepare for the sports festival, and the after effects of revealing their origin to their classmates. 'Til next time.**


	18. UA's Sports Festival

**UA's Sports Festival**

UA: Class 1A

'This is gonna be more than a little awkward today,' thought Clay as he sat in silence, reading a book he'd gotten from the library. They'd been given some time off of school to recover from the villain's attack on the USJ. Time Clay was more than grateful for, not only because he was still hurting a little from that Nomu monster, but also because he'd been dreading the next meeting with his classmates.

More medics had shown up before he or Slade could really answer any burning questions about their past. 'I'm still not sure if telling them about what happened on the Sleeping Ghoul was the right thing to do,' thought Clay with a sigh, 'The truth was always gonna come out eventually. I just didn't expect it so soon.'

Glancing at his friend, Clay could tell that Slade was a bit nervous too as he sat there, scrolling through something on his phone. While most people wouldn't notice it, Clay had learned over the years that Slade's posture got a bit more rigid whenever he was nervous or a bit miffed about something. In this case, he likely dreaded seeing everyone else as much as Clay did, which was why they'd arrived so early in the first place. But they could only avoid their classmates so long, and soon enough, the door opened.

It was no surprise to either of them that Momo was the first one through the door, given how seriously she took her academics. "Slade, Clay," Said Momo, obviously surprised they'd gotten there before her, "You're both early."

"Yeah, kind of wanted to beat traffic," Said Slade as he leaned back in his chair. "Oh and avoid the crowd. A bunch of people seemed to recognize us over the break."

"Yes, that's been happening to all of us recently," Said Momo as she sat down in her usual seat next to Slade, "I suppose it's to be expected, given the coverage on the USJ attack." Slade simply nodded his head at that. Several moments of silence passed between everyone as Momo pulled out her books for the day. It was uncomfortable, to say the least.

"Just letting you know now, you don't have to tip toe around us you know," Said Slade finally, turning to Momo. "If you still have questions, we're more than willing to answer them."

"But it's your secret," Said Momo, "A secret we forced out of you two, and if the rest of the hero community knows."

"We already told my Uncle. Kind of figured if we didn't, one of y'all would," Said Clay as he flipped to the next page. "Obviously he didn't like that we kept it a secret, but he ultimately understood the logic behind our choice. Though I'm not sure who else he's told."

"Besides, you didn't force it out of us," Said Slade. "Clay decided it was time and though I didn't like it, I went along with it."

"Still," Said Momo, somewhat sadly, "I can understand why you let a villain loose. You weren't near as skilled then as you are now. I've turned it over in my head a hundred times and I arrived at the same conclusion, it was your only option at the time. But, I also know everyone else might not see it that way."

"Let us worry about that," Said Clay as the door opened. Slade and Momo looked towards the door while Clay looked back down at his book.

"Clay, Slade," Said Iida, "I'm, uh, surprised that the two of you are so early. It's no surprise coming from Yaoyorozu, but you two ordinarily show up only ten to fifteen minutes early. Which is also good, of course." Clay and Slade both sighed.

"This is gonna be one long day," Said Clay as he focused back on the book he'd been reading.

"Yes it is," Agreed Slade as Iida took his usual seat, still seeming like he had more he wanted to say. It continued on more or less like this for each student that walked in. Some wouldn't say anything and just ignore them. Others would simply greet them before heading to their seats. Eventually, the one they'd been dreading walked in, Midoriya.

"Hey guys," Said Midoriya as he took his seat, "How're you guys feeling?"

"Oh ya know," Said Clay as he finally closed his book, "Still a bit sore, but nothing we can't handle. How about you?"

"Recovery Girl's a miracle worker as always, my bones are about healed. Though I guess, given the stuff you went through already, it's understandable you'd both bounce back quickly," Said Midoriya, before realizing what he'd just mentioned. "I mean not that you two wouldn't bounce back quickly normally, I just meant that-."

"Gosh you're still doing that," Said Slade with a slight smirk, "I thought you'd get over that at least a little by now."

"I'm sorry, it's kind of a habit," Said Midoriya as he rubbed his head, "But I gotta say, I still can't quite believe that happened to you two. It's, uh, alright to talk about that right?"

"If we didn't want to discuss it every now and then we wouldn't have told ya," Said Clay as he leaned back in his own seat. "Sure we hate recalling what happened, but we've more or less made peace with the choice we made."

"So you can all stop glancing nervously at us," Said Slade, "Don't think we haven't noticed. So just rip the band aid off and speak your minds already." A few moments of silence passed in the classroom as no one elected to speak, despite the invitation. Eventually, it was Iida who stood up first.

"I simply have this to say," Said Iida as he adjusted his glasses, "What were you two thinking?! Do you have any idea what might've happened when you let a villain like that loose?! It may very well have been the end of both of you!"

"It was a risk we had to take," Replied Clay, "As we explained before. Slade and I went over every conceivable option there was, but there were far too many villains and nowhere near enough time for us to come up with another viable plan. If that ship had left the port, it's possible we'd still be aboard it right now with a whole bunch of villains."

"It still sounds like a load of bull if you ask me," Said Bakugou, as he stared at the ceiling, "A quirk fighting ring on a big boat. And I've never even heard of this Ghoul Fire guy."

"He's real," Said Tsuyu suddenly, "I did some research on the guy. He caused a big stir a few years back before disappearing off the radar. Three years after that, there are newspaper reports of a large number of villains captured at the sight of a burning oil tanker."

"I read that as well," Said Midoriya, "But I couldn't find any mention of either of you in the report."

"That was Aizawa sensei's idea," Answered Slade. "We never got the chance to explain it. But he feared some of the villains that got away might try to come after us. So he kept mention of us out of the paper and sent us away to America."

"So it is true then," Said Midoriya, "You had to basically flee the country because of villains. And you couldn't even tell me why you guys both had to go."

"We didn't want to, believe me," Said Clay, "But we didn't really have a choice in the matter. But, we're back now, and if the recent attack on the USJ is any indication. We won't be taken captive near as easily this time around." Midoriya answered that with a smile as the bell for the class rang.

"Alright, that's the bell," Said Iida as he rushed to the front of the room, "It's time for everyone to be in their seats!"

"We're already sitting down," Said Kirishima as a look of embarrassment crossed Iida's face.

"Yeah, you're kind of the only one standing up right now," Added Kaminari. Iida quickly took his seat, fuming a bit as he did. Uraka and Midoriya did their best to calm him down as Mina turned to Tsuyu.

"So who's supposed to be teaching class today? Any ideas Tsuyu?" Asked Mina as she turned to her frog-like friend.

"Not really sure," Replied Tsuyu as she put a finger to her chin in thought, "Mr. Aizawa's still recovering in the hospital at the moment."

"Wishful thinking I'm afraid," Said Clay as he supported his chin with his hand. As if on cue, the door to the classroom slid open. And standing there, wrapped up in so many bandages he might as well have been a mummy, stood Aizawa sensei.

"Good morning class," Said Aizawa, the movements of his mouth hard to discern through all the bandages.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE AIZAWA SENSEI!" Yelled most of the class as their teacher limped to his desk.

"It is good to see that you are doing well sir!" Called Iida, being overly proper as usual.

"I'm not sure I'd call that doing well," Uraraka said off-handedly.

"My current state of health is irrelevant," Said Aizawa as he turned to the class.

"That's not what my mother says," Remarked Clay, "You know she's gonna give you an earful if she hears you're up and walking around right now."

"I'm not the one with something to worry about," Replied Aizawa, "You see you've all got a fight of your own coming up."

"Oh no," Said Mineta nervously, "I hope you're not talking about more bad guys!" Aizawa waited for Mineta to stop chattering before he spoke again.

"The UA sports festival is starting soon," Said Aizawa. His voice every bit as serious as always.

"DON'T SCARE US LIKE THAT!" Yelled most of the class as the tension in the room dissolved.

"Yep, there he goes again," Clay thought aloud, "I really wish he didn't make everything sound so serious." But the rest of the class quickly forgot their nervousness as everyone began bombarding their teacher with questions.

"Is this like, okay," Asked Kaminari, "I mean the USJ was attacked by villains already."

"There's a good chance that they might attack the sports festival too," Said Jirou.

"I mean that's how they did it last time," Said Ojiro, "Waiting until we were all in the same place."

"it's been officially decided by the administration, that this is a good way to show that everything is safe again," Explained Aizawa, "Security will also be increased in comparison to other years. For those of you who don't know, the sports festival is an incredibly opportunistic time for all students, so it's not gonna get cancelled because of the presence of a few villains."

"But why can't we just cancel it," Asked Mineta, "It might be a big event but it's still just a festival."

"But don't you know how big of an opportunity it is for all of us to be seen," Said Midoriya, as he turned around to look at Mineta.

"Yeah I know that alright," Said Mineta, "But I'm trying to avoid getting murdered here!"

"The UA sports festival is one of the most viewed events in the entire world," Explained Aizawa, "It used to be the Olympics. But ever since quirks showed up, the only competition that seems to matter is the UA sports festival. It's also used as a way for hero agencies to scout potential pro heroes. This is a chance you'll get only once a year for three years. Meaning if you're aspiring to be a pro, this is not an opportunity to be missed. Train hard and don't slack off, class dismissed."

"Yes sir," replied everyone as the bell rang for lunch. 'Outstanding,' thought Clay, 'I never thought I'd be using my quirk for sports. But Uncle's right, it is a good event to be scouted at.'

"So, you excited," Asked Slade as he turned around in his seat. Clay thought the answer over for a moment.

"I wouldn't say excited, per se," Answered Clay, "But I suppose it is something to look forward too."

"I'll bet you'd be excited if they had a flying competition as part of the sports festival," Remarked Slade.

"One can only hope," Replied Clay as he turned to Midoriya, "What about you, are you excited for the sports festival?"

"Well I'm more nervous than anything," Said Midoriya, "But this is the kind of opportunity we've all been waiting for, so I'd say I'm just as excited as I am nervous."

"EVERYONE! I'M GONNA GIVE IT MY BEST!" Yelled Uraraka suddenly, drawing everyone's attention to her. The gravity quirk user didn't seem to notice as she turned to the other students in the class and raised her fist in the air. "Did you hear me?! I said I'M GONNA GIVE IT MY BEST!"

"Wow," Said Mina, "And she's normally one of the most laid back people I know, ever." Clay and Slade couldn't agree more as the rest of the class picked up their stuff and headed for the cafeteria.

UA Hallway

"Uh Clay," called Mina from behind him as they walked down the hallway, "Could I talk to you for a moment?" Clay slowed down a bit until he was matching his pace with the pink hero in training.

"Something wrong," Asked Clay, already noting the less light-hearted tone of his normally happy classmate.

"I just wanted ask you something," Answered Mina as her pace, surprisingly, slowed even more, "It's been nagging me since the USJ."

"Shoot," Replied Clay as he continued to match her pace down the hallway.

"Why exactly did you enroll here," Asked Mina, "I know you want to be a hero, and you're clearly not in it for money or popularity. So what's your angle exactly?"

"You make it sound like I've got an evil scheme brewing or something," Remarked Clay. "But, I suppose a better explanation of my goals is in order now that you know me and Slade's story, so here goes." Clay stopped in the hallway as he took a breath before beginning his explanation. "For a long time, neither I nor Slade really knew where we were going in life. Sure we did fine in school, and thanks to Uncle Aizawa we knew how to fight, which in retrospect may have been half the reason we got into some of the tussles we got into. But if you asked us what we wanted to really do, neither of us could really give an answer."

"That all changed when we got taken captive aboard the Sleeping Ghoul. For the first time I saw what the pros were truly dealing with, as well as how strong a real pro was. Even if he was a former pro, it was still a spectacle like nothing I'd ever seen up to that point. Once we escaped, I made up my mind right then that I'd do something better with my life, and if possible, I'd try to keep others from befalling the same fate as me and Slade."

"Gosh, you sound like a manga character," Said Mina, "Getting your whole motivation from something terrible."

"All of my family and friends are still alive," Said Clay with a smirk as he crossed his arms, "I'm not a total cliché at least. As for Slade, he's here to keep an eye on me, a little agreement we made a long time ago. If it had been the other way around, I'd be here to keep an eye on him."

"I guess you're still figuring a few things out by the sound of it," Said Mina, her serious mood pretty much gone now.

"One day at a time," Said Clay as he began walking again, "I've got a goal right now, become a pro hero and try to do some good."

"Well I guess it's something," Said Mina as they entered the cafeteria, "But just so you know. You're semi-painful backstory won't get any sympathy from me in the sports festival."

"I didn't expect it too," Said Clay with a slight smirk, "It'd be disappointing actually if you went easy on me."

"Looking forward to it," Said Mina as she raised her hand in the air, "Here's to doing our best."

"And to kicking each other's ##$es at the sports festival," Said Clay as he raised his own hand in the air and high fived Mina as they both said the next phrase at the same time. "Let's do our best!"

 **And there we go. Not very exciting I know, but the next couple of chapters are setting up for the sports festival, where the real fun begins. I'd also like to apologize for getting this out later than I meant too, but the website was having some issues. So I'd once again like to thank all those who've waited patiently for this latest chapter. Be sure to stop in next time as class 1A meets the other classes that will be gunning for them in the sports festival. 'Til next time.**


	19. Unexpected Competition

**Unexpected Competition**

UA: Class 1A

The UA sports festival, a series of events set up for heroes in training to display their skills and quirks. The way Uncle Aizawa explained it to him, the festival was set up by class year. Not only was the hero course involved but the business, general studies and support courses as well. All of the classes would basically duke it out in a number of preliminary contests, eliminating a few students at a time. At the end, the remaining students would face off in the finals. It was essentially a large tournament, and up until this point, Clay figured the only opponent's he'd actually have to worry about were those in class 1A.

As it turns out, that assumption was more than a little off. And by a little, he meant the last thing he expected to see at the end of the school day was every student from the other classes crowded outside their door. Needless to say he wasn't the only one. "Uuuuh, why exactly are you all here?" Uraraka asked the question that was on everyone else's minds.

"Do any of you have business with us here?" Asked Iida in his usual business-like tone.

"Yeah," Said Mineta, waving his fist in the air, "Why in the world are you blocking the doorway?"

"Idiots," Said Bakugou as he stepped forward, "They're here to get a look at the competition. See what the class that survived a villain attack looks like." Bakugou walked up to the mass of students at the doorway, his usual condescending look on his face. "Take a good look, this is what a future pro looks like. So clear the way extras."

"Hey don't go calling people that!" Exclaimed Iida as he, Uraraka, Midoriya and a few of the other students began freaking out.

"So this is what makes up class 1A," said a student with outrageous blue hair which was standing on end. "I heard you were supposed to have some skill, but this guy just sounds like a prick. Is everyone that delusional in the hero course." This made Bakugou grit his teeth a bit as the blue-haired student pushed his way to the front. Clay noted that his eyes looked like he hadn't slept in some time.

"A class full of ego maniacs," Said the student as he rubbed the back of his head, "That's kind of sad really."

"Actually it's just this guy," Clay cut in as he stepped forward and pointed to Bakugou. "He's always like this, no one's fault but his own. You see this unfortunate soul has no dick."

"The $ $ you say!" Exclaimed Bakugou as the rest of the class looked back and forth between the two students.

"Tragic story really," Slade picked up for Clay, "You see this poor guy's quirk is explosions, which he discovered about the same time as whacking it. Let's just say he got the wrong kind of boom boom one day."

"You ##!" Yelled Bakugou as he punched Slade in the side of his face. He instantly regretted it as his fist connected with Slade's already dense head. "AAAAHH, son of a # $ !" Bakugou swore as he held his throbbing hand.

"And that's the kind of impulsive attitude which got your dick blown off in the first place," Said Clay. The rest of the students stood by, watching this little spectacle as some were having a hard time deciding whether or not to laugh.

"Whatever," Bakugou finally said as he stormed out of the classroom door. "The rest of these guys don't matter anyway, all that matters is I gotta beat 'em."

"You have an interesting approach to problem solving," Said the blue-haired student as soon as Bakugou turned the corner, "It makes me miss the hero course just seeing it."

"Not really a heroic approach," Said Slade, "Just how we've been handling that guy since he was in middle school."

"And it worked like a charm then too," Said Clay as he and Slade bumped fists.

"Well that almost makes me sorry to tell you all this," Said the blue-haired student as he rubbed the back of his head again. "You see while everyone else behind me came here to scout your class out, I'm here to bring a declaration of war."

"Declaration of war?" Repeated Midoriya as everyone else started listening far more attentively.

"Yes," Said blue hair, "You see if any of us do exceptionally well during the sports festival, we'll have a chance to get back into the hero course. But, since your class is already full to capacity, by two I might add, they'll have to transfer one or more of you out to make room." Concern crossed the faces of a few students in 1A at that statement.

"So if you don't bring your A game, I'll take your spot right out from under you." With that final statement, the blue-haired student walked away. The rest of the students from the other classes began to disperse as well until they all finally had a way out of the class room.

"Oh great, now everyone hates us!" Exclaimed Mineta in his usual panicky tone.

"But it is the situation we face," Said Tokoyami, "If we're to win we must defeat them."

"I don't really know how I should take what just happened," Said Jiro, "I'm still trying to get the image of Bakugou blowing his dick off out of my head. Thanks for that by the way guys." Slade and Clay couldn't help snickering at that.

"I guess it's all in a day's work," Slade said while trying to control his laughter, "Come to think of it, it actually makes me excited for the sports festival."

"You mean the chance to knock down the over-inflated egos of a few punks," Said Clay as he put his finger to his chin in thought. "Guess that is something to look forward too. What do you think Midoriya?" The green-haired boy snapped out of his thoughts at the sound of Clay's voice.

"Oh well I-," Midoriya tried to think of what to say, "I think no matter what we should give it our all." 'Now that I can get behind,' thought Clay with a nod as the rest of the class agreed.

UA Training Area: The Next Day

"Nice move," Said Slade as he ducked and maneuvered his way out of the line of Momo's staff. He was currently moving at very low density, giving him a large increase in speed. Though much lighter and a strong breeze would actually knock him over.

"And I'm not through yet," Stated Momo as she used another set of jabs with her weapon. Slade dodged side to side, trying his best to keep the smile off his face. At one point, he tripped up a bit on the ground, losing his balance more easily due to his lack of density. Momo used this opening to come in with a fast horizontal strike. Reacting on instinct, Slade held up his arm, raising his density at the same time. The metal weapon bent on impact against his skin, causing Momo to stumble a bit before she regained her footing.

"Whoops, sorry about that," Said Slade as he set his density back to normal, "I'm used to setting my density high for blocking. Used to deal with explosions a lot more."

"It's fine," Said Momo as she examined her bent weapon, "I just didn't expect metal similar to rebar to dent like this so easily. I guess I'll have to try a tougher type of lightweight metal."

"Why can't you just use titanium," Asked Slade, "It's supposed to be some of the toughest metal around while also being surprisingly light weight."

"I had thought of that," Replied Momo as she discarded her current weapon, "But I haven't tested it against a person before. It could actually hurt you."

"Only if you're able to apply enough force or the right kind of force," Said Slade as he increased his density to near maximum, causing the ground to crack from his increased weight. "Same principle as armor piercing rounds. They've got the same purpose but they're more successful because they can impact with more force or can at least keep their shape upon impact thanks to a different design or material."

"Which is exactly why I'm worried," Said Momo, "I know you can withstand a great deal, but how much is too much?"

"I need to find that out myself," Said Slade as he raised his hands. "This is training for both of us remember. I need to push my limits too."

"Alright then," Said Momo, her eyes flashing with renewed determination, "If you think you can take it." Slade smiled in response as he moved his hand in the universal 'bring it on' gesture.

In another part of the training area, Clay was undertaking some training of his own. 'Not really a point in keeping this secret anymore,' he thought as he directed a number of small clouds away from him. 'Let's see how far I can push distance while still keeping the clouds solid.' With a few quick movements of his hands, Clay sent the clouds out even further, the strain of controlling them from a distance starting to get to him.

'Just a little bit further,' he thought as sweat began forming on his forehead. When he started feeling his control slipping, he brought his hands closer to his body, causing the clouds to move back towards him. With a few more twitches of his fingers, Clay manipulated the unseen clouds into some simple shapes. 'Now for offense.'

Clenching his fists, Clay greatly increased the speed of the clouds as he sent them racing through the trees. The sound of splintering wood filled the air as a couple of the clouds, shaped like spikes, shot through several of the small trees. The other sound which reached Clay's ears was the sound of spinning blades passing through the leaves. 'Now for the finale,' he thought, gritting his teeth as his heart rate picked up.

Every cloud he had shot back towards him at incredible speed, their movement hardly more than a blur of motion. At the last instant, Clay held up his hands, causing all of the clouds to disappear hardly three feet from him. "That's not half bad," he thought aloud as he relaxed his body, breathing heavily.

"Ah, there you are Clay," Said Mina as she walked into the forested area, "How's training going?"

"Well," Clay started to say when several of the trees fell over suddenly, causing a large amount of noise from the impact of breaking branches. "Making progress." Mina was speechless for a few moments, her mouth hanging open a bit at what she just saw.

"How-," Mina finally managed to say, "How can you pull that off with clouds?"

"With a lot of time and practice," Said Clay as he formed a small cloud in his hand. "I've been working on that particular formation for nearly two years. It's only been the last couple of months that I've been able to get it to this level."

"Aw man," Said Mina as she looked at her hand, producing a little acid, "And all I've got is this stuff."

"It's gonna take more than a quirk to make it in the sports festival," Said Clay as he moved the cloud through the air to hang underneath Mina's hand. Not knowing what to do exactly, Mina let the acid fall onto the small cloud, causing it to steam and dissolve away.

"You see," Said Clay, "My quirk has plenty of weaknesses of its own. Even at its highest density, it still can be dispersed or dissolved by something that greatly excites molecules."

"Uh, is there another way to explain that?" Asked Mina as she rubbed her head in confusion.

"Anything that causes massive evaporation or melting," Clay replied, doing his best to make it understandable.

"Right," Said Mina, "So all I'd have to do to stop your quirk is somehow get acid on your superfast moving clouds while at the same time trying not to get speared or slashed."

"Don't worry about the slashing," Said Clay, "Humming stratus is a formation I only use in emergencies when I'm out of less painful options."

"Greaaaat," Said Mina, "So now I only have to worry about the other eighty-five formations you've developed over the years."

"Have I developed eighty-five?" Clay thought aloud as he rubbed his chin in thought, "Hmm, never counted."

"Well either way I just remembered why I came over here in the first place," Said Mina, "Uraraka got the idea that we could train together. Kind of like Slade and Momo are doing."

"Are you sure that's a good idea," Asked Clay, "It sounds like an excuse for us all to scout out the competition."

"I mean we already know each other's quirks anyway," Said Mina, "And the sports festival is still a few days away. So there's no reason we can't help each other get better before then."

"Well when you put it that way, and since Uncle's still kind of unable to help right now," Said Clay as he gestured for Mina to lead the way, "I suppose it would be rude of me to refuse such a generous offer."

"Alright, don't get all formal on me," Said Mina as she and Clay began walking back the way she came. "Oh and just know, when the sports festival does start, you're getting no mercy from me."

"Fair enough," Replied Clay with a slight grin, "I'm looking forward to it."

Locker Room of UA Stadium

Thanks to all the training, the time to the sports festival flew by. Before anyone really knew it, the day had come, and with it, thousands of fans lining up to enter the stadium. As for the students of class 1A, every one of them had something different going through their minds at that moment. Most were trying to figure out what the events would be. Some were focused on just keeping their nerves in check. And then there were those who were concerned with small, random details.

"Man this stinks," Said Mina as she examined her gym uniform, "Biggest event ever and I can't even stand out with my own costume."

"They're probably trying to keep things fair," Said Ojiro as he stretched out one of his arms.

"I can't wait to see what they've got for us in the first round," said Sato, who was trembling in anticipation.

"Whatever the obstacle, we must overcome it," Said Tokoyami. As for Clay and Slade, they were busy getting their uniforms on like everyone else.

"So did your Uncle drop any hints about what to expect?" Asked Slade as he finished tying his shoes.

"He was annoyingly vague about it," Replied Clay as he slipped the uniform's outer shirt on, "I asked him what to expect out of curiosity at one point. All he said was that there'd be a race of some sort, a team event, and a main competition."

"That is annoyingly vague," Slade commented before the door to the locker room was flung open by Iida.

"We're about to head to the arena!" Called Iida, "Time to put on your game faces!"

"I guess it's that time," Said Midoriya as he took a deep breath while Mineta popped a pill, or four, to help his nerves.

"Just keep calm and wave when we get out there," Said Clay, "Once the competition starts, don't even worry about the audience."

"More wisdom from Aizawa sensei?" Questioned Slade, recognizing the sound of one of their teacher's lessons.

"It's about the same thing he said to me before I headed down here," Replied Clay.

"Midoriya," Said Todoroki suddenly as he walked up to their friend, his usual neutral expression on his face.

"Oh hey Todoroki," Said Midoriya as he turned to the white/red haired boy somewhat nervously, "What's, uh, happening?"

"Objectively speaking, I'm clearly stronger than you," Said Todoroki as everyone else stopped their own conversations to listen.

"I, uh, guess that's true," Replied Midoriya as he nodded his head in confusion.

"However, All Might is supporting you for one reason or another," Todoroki stated. "And while I have no intention of prying about that particular situation, I will say this. I will beat you." Clay and Slade narrowed their eyes at that comment as Kirishima got up from his seat in the room.

"Hey come on man," Said Kirishima with a hand on Todoroki's shoulder, "No need to be picking a fight. Especially when we're about to start."

"We can't be friends here," replied Todoroki as he shrugged off Kirishima's hand, "Remember none of us are on a team right now." With that final statement, Todoroki walked towards the door. But before he got there, Midoriya spoke up.

"Hold up a second Todoroki," Said Midoriya, still nervous but sounding more determined. "I'm not sure what you're thinking, or why you think you have to declare that you're going to beat me. It's true, you're better than me, and likely anyone else in the hero course, it's how you got in in the first place."

"Okay, now you're being a bit harsh on, well, all of us," Said Kirishima, trying to keep things from escalating.

"But he's right guys," Said Midoriya, "Every one of the other classes is gunning for us. So if we're gonna stand out, we have to fight for it. That's why, I'll be aiming for the top as well." Clay and Slade smirked at that as Todoroki simply replied with fine. Everyone else remained silent as the time to head out arrived.

Sports Festival Stadium

"Hey, let's hear ya make some noise!" Exclaimed Present Mike over the loud speaker as his image popped up on a massive jumbo tron. The crowd roared as he continued speaking. "For those of you who brought cameras, get 'em ready because this year looks to have some of the best performances in sports festival history! So let me hear ya, are you ready?!" The crowd needed no encouragement as they made enough noise to shake the entire stadium.

"It sounds like there's quite a few people out there," Said Clay as he, Slade, and the rest of class 1A walked down the tunnel to the arena.

"They kept saying this event was a big deal," Replied Slade, "Though I think they were underplaying just how big of a deal it really is." 'No doubt,' thought Clay as they stepped out onto the field, the bright sunlight blinding them all for a moment.

"And here they are!" Declared Present Mike, "Our first group which has already become well-known for surviving a villain attack! Give it up for Class 1A!" The crowd answered with a massive cheer as all the students looked around.

"Okay," Said Clay as he looked around the massive stadium with a large opening in the roof, "That is waaaay more people than I thought were gonna show up." An understatement in itself. It seemed every single seat in the stadium was filled. And that wasn't even counting the millions that were watching this on TV, internet, and whatever media was broadcasting this event.

'So this is what it might be like to be a hero,' thought Clay as they walked out onto the field, 'well then, let's give these folks a show.'

 **Finally, the build up to the sports festival has been completed. All the classes are assembled as the time for the sports festival has arrived. And for those wondering, yes this is the last chapter of build up before the events. So thank you all once again for your patience, as well as your comments and reviews. Be sure to stop in next time as the first event of the UA sports festival begins! See y'all then.**


	20. The First Event: The Quirk Race

**The First Event: The Quirk Race**

UA Sports Festival Stadium

Class 1A stood in a block formation near the center of the stadium. Alongside them stood the students from the general studies, support, and business courses who'd entered the stadium alongside them. And in front of them on a raised platform, stood this year's chief umpire for the sports festival, a gorgeous woman with long, dark hair running down her back wearing a skintight, black and white outfit which greatly resembled an S&M get up. She also wore a small mask and whipped around what looked like a cat-o-nine tails. Or a palm palm, he really didn't want to find out which. 'The rated 'R' hero Midnight,' thought Clay, 'undeniably hot but I think she missed the meeting on TV appropriate clothing.'

The rest of the audience and the students had varying opinions on her costume as well. Most of which ranged between either gawking at her figure or cringing at the fact that she would wear such an outfit for a high school game. "Quiet everyone!" Ordered Midnight with a whip of her apparent weapon, "It's now time for the academy pledge, Katsuki Bakugou, to give the introductory speech."

'How in the world did he wind up as the pledge,' wondered Clay as Bakugou walked up onto the platform. 'Well I suppose he did make the top score in the entrance exam, though I feel like letting him speak is kind of a bad idea.' This same feeling of unsureness was shared by the rest of class 1A as Bakugou paused at the mike. A silence fell over the stadium as Bakugou spoke.

"I just want everyone to know, that I'm the one who's going to win this," Said Bakugou in an almost bored tone.

"And what a surprise he screwed us over again," Said Slade as he held his hands up in exasperation. Obviously the reaction from the other classes was decidedly negative with an assortment of booing, jeering, and just overall hatred towards Bakugou and class 1A.

"Why in the world you say something like that," Exclaimed Iida as he waved his arms in a chopping motion, "You're our representative, you're supposed to be respectful!"

"What for," Said Bakugou as he walked down off the stage, "Everyone else here is just a stepping stone for my victory." This got a rather loud response from a student by the name of Tetsu Tetsu, who yelled over and over again about cutting Bakugou down to size. But the explosion quirk-user ignored his and everyone else's comments as he made his way back to class 1A.

"Great, and now we're even bigger targets than before," Said Clay as he crossed his arms in annoyance.

"Well we knew it wasn't gonna be easy," Said Slade, "But now I'm trying to decide if I really wanna win or just make sure egomaniac over there loses."

"Either way," Said Midoriya with a hand on his chin, "We're gonna have to give it our all. We just need to watch our backs out there." Clay and Slade nodded in agreement with this statement as the jumbo Tron in the stadium lit up with different titles spinning like a slot machine.

"And now the time has come for our first event," Said Midnight over the microphone. "What could it be, how shall the pain begin?!" That question was answered in another couple of seconds as the spinning stopped on the first event. "The obstacle course, a treacherous four kilometer course around the stadium which shall be run by all classes! This event only has one real rule, don't leave the track. Otherwise, you may use any means within reason to win!"

'Heck of a way to start out. But here we go,' thought Clay as he and the rest of the students lined up at the starting line, a giant red arch which led into a narrow tunnel. Three lights lit up at the top of the gate, then went off one by one as everyone tensed up, ready to spring into a run at a moment's notice. "BEGIN!" Yelled Midnight into the microphone as the final light on the gate went out. The mass of students wasted no time in charging the gate as Present Mike and Aizawa, Clay still wasn't sure how he was talked into announcing, provided commentary on the action.

As everyone entered the tunnel, the first obstacle became clear. 'Seriously,' thought Clay as he and the mass of students crammed together in the narrow space, making it near impossible to move. 'This is the cafeteria incident all over again. But on the upside, that means I can use the same method of escape.' Pushing his arms out to give himself just a bit more room in the throng of bodies, Clay blasted out his clouds from his feet, shooting upwards into the air.

Slade, meanwhile, increased his density, allowing him to push out and create a temporary space for himself. Acting quickly, Slade decreased his density and leapt upwards, his body now light enough for him to jump off the walls and the heads of the other students. 'This advantage won't last long,' thought Slade, 'gotta make it out quick.' As the two of them were about to reach the end of the narrow tunnel, an explosion of cold air and frost sent them flying.

'Blast it,' thought Clay as he just managed to reform his cloud a few feet from the ground, 'That was Todoroki's ice power.' Looking around, Clay noted that a large portion of the ground had been frozen behind Todoroki, slowing the other students down as he ran out. As for Slade, Clay spotted him balancing on Shoji's head. 'Guess I'd better move it before the rest catch up to us.' No sooner had he thought this than Bakugou, Momo, and several of his other classmates came leaping out of the crowd of students, propelled by their respective powers.

"Yep, time to move," Said Clay as he turned around and flew down the track. But he felt something latch onto his cloud after only a moment of being in flight. "Hey I thought I said no free rides this go round," Clay called back to the hitchhiker holding onto the bottom of his cloud.

"Sorry," Said Slade, who'd decreased his density to keep from slowing Clay down, "You were the only flight out at this time."

"Well you're lucky I got other things to worry about," Said Clay as he noticed the rest of the students behind them catching up. Ojiro was using his tail to leap forward over the ice and Bakugou was gaining fast with his explosion quirk directed behind him. Most surprising of all, Mineta had used the sticky balls on his head to create stepping stones on the ice which brought him within throwing distance of Todoroki. Or at least he was until a giant, metal claw knocked him out of midair.

"Oh $$ ," Said Slade as they stopped with the rest of the students to view the next obstacle, "Not these things again!" Clay couldn't agree more as he looked upon at least eight of the zero point robots from the entrance exam, as well as several of the smaller ones. 'I couldn't do anything but dodge one of those things and make it hit itself last time,' Clay thought as another blast of cold air and ice covered the area.

'Todoroki again,' Clay thought as he watched his classmate head towards the legs of the lead robot. "Like heck this gonna go like last time!" Clay exclaimed as he spun several times in midair with Slade still hanging onto his cloud.

"We doing this then?!" Slade had to yell over the noise of their rotation.

"You better believe it!" Clay called back as he formed a large pair of cloud shuriken while continuing his spin, "Let's take these things down!" With a nod, Slade adjusted his density as he let go of the cloud to fly through the air towards the second robot on the left. Clay shifted his position in the air as he came out of his spin and charged towards the third robot, trailing the two large shuriken.

"Don't blink!" Exclaimed Slade as he increased his body to maximum density. In the next instant, he slammed into the main eye of the zero pointer like an artillery shell, crashing through circuits and machinery. The robot was knocked backwards as Slade came out the back of its head, quickly shifting to a lower density as he ran down the tumbling robot. At the same instant, Clay was diving down underneath his own robotic opponent.

'This is probably a little unnecessary,' thought Clay, 'but we're supposed to show off a little.' With that in mind, Clay changed the shape of his cloud as he dove feet first underneath the zero pointer. He was hardly two feet off the ground as he used the two large shuriken to slash at the joints of the zero pointer. The attack proved successful as the zero pointer sank down to its knees. The combined impact of all three zero pointers hitting the ground at about the same time caused a massive boom as the earth shook a bit and a mass of dust was kicked up.

'Now that's more like it,' Thought Clay as he ascended back into the air. But not before Slade came leaping back up to grab a hold of his cloud once again. "Ha ha, that definitely went better than the first time!" Exclaimed Slade as he held onto the bottom of Clay's cloud.

"All that extra training is paying off," Added Clay as they flew onward. "Let's just hope we're as lucky at the next obstacle." Slade nodded in agreement as they sped along the track to the next part of the course. Fortunately, this part had fewer robots. Instead, this section of the course was a massive drop with several earthen pillars in the center, all of which were connected by ropes. But, as they were about to reach it, a number of ice spikes shot up out of the ground.

"# !#!," They both swore as Clay's riding cloud was disrupted, forcing the two friends to land on opposite sides of the ice spikes. "I guess this is where we spit up," Called Slade as he began running for the next part of the course, "See ya there!" 'If that's how it has to be,' thought Clay as he reformed his cloud and started flying again. But Todoroki's little delay had done more than slow them down, it also gave the other students time to catch up.

As he was over the columns, a long tongue wrapped around his leg. "Oh what in the-, Tsuyu!" Clay exclaimed in surprise as the frog quirk girl held on by her tongue as they both flew over the obstacle. He didn't get much farther as a cable with a type of grappling hook latched onto his cloud too. "Oh come on is that you Mei," He called back as he caught a glimpse of a girl with rather extravagant, pink hair. But the most eye-catching thing about her was actually the goggles on her head, as well as the numerous gadgets adorning her person.

"Thanks for helping me test my babies Clay," Mei called, "A grappling device that attaches to clouds is sure to sell!"

"Do I have free taxi service printed on this cloud or something?" Questioned Clay as he struggled to stay in the air with the weight of two people holding him down. 'I'm starting to fall behind,' he realized as he spotted Todoroki using his ice to slide along the ropes rather quickly. Not only that, Slade was hopping onto any platform which was close to him, as well as using his low density to move quickly along the ropes. But what had Clay worried most of all, was the fact that Bakugou was coming in hot, propelled by his quirk.

"Sorry about this you two," Said Clay as he created a spiked glove with his clouds and whacked Tsuyu's tongue, causing the surprised frog girl to unravel the appendage. "But I can't take any more free rides today." Clay then dispersed the cloud he was riding on, causing the three of them to fall between the pillars. Quickly reforming clouds around his hands and feet, Clay flew forward, maneuvering between the pillars while Mei and Tsuyu grappled onto some nearby pillars using a cable and a tongue.

'I guess it's time to stop playing around so much,' thought Clay as he maneuvered between the remaining pillars before shooting upwards at the other end of the obstacle. Speeding up greatly along the track, Clay caught up to Todoroki in no time, coming up on his left side as he did so. The hot/cold quirk user spotted him and reacted by throwing up a pillar of ice. But clay anticipated the move this time and spun out of the way as he shot out a layer of clouds at Todoroki.

His classmate jumped to the side, raising up an ice wall as he did so, but Clay had been counting on that as he shot forward. 'So that's how it is,' thought Todoroki as he saw him take the lead, 'He only produced a thick enough cloud to obscure my vision so I couldn't aim another attack while he raced past me. Not a bad move on his part.' But then Todoroki noticed something strange as he resumed running, Clay had slowed down. He soon found out why as he nearly stepped on a raised mound in the dirt.

"May wanna move a bit more slowly here," Said Clay, hovering over the ground as he pointed at a sign which had been facing the other way.

"I see, so this is the final obstacle," Said Todoroki as he looked back at the field Clay was floating over. Several small mounds were present for a fair stretch of the track. "A minefield."

"No need to worry too much about getting hurt by these things," Said Clay as he floated backwards over the minefield with his hands behind his head. "If I had to guess, these mines are designed mostly to send one flying. Can't have a bunch of limbs scattered about on national television."

"Hmph," was Todoroki's only reply as he began stepping carefully through the minefield. 'Just you wait Cero,' thought Todoroki, 'the moment I see an opening, you'll be the one flying out of this minefield.' Clay continued to maintain a fair distance as he floated over the minefield while Todoroki watched him like a hawk, waiting for an opportunity to strike. But then, something seemed to catch Clay's attention as he smiled at something behind Todoroki.

"Don't forget about me you bastard!" Yelled Bakugou as he came flying up behind Todoroki, "I'm the one you should've declared war on!" Todoroki moved to the side as Bakugou nearly caught him with one of his explosions. The two started moving more quickly over the minefield as Todoroki fought back with a frozen right hand. 'Wow,' thought Clay as he watched the two fight to get ahead of each other, 'it seems like they've kinda forgotten about me.'

Clay decided to risk a glance back at some of the other competitors who'd reached the minefield. A loud noise, followed by pink smoke shot up whenever someone stepped on one of the land mines. Well, most of the time anyway. As he looked back, Clay noticed that Slade was running normally on the minefield. "Hey, love the running form Tinker bell!" Called Clay, "I bet a feather weighs more than you right now!"

"You can shove it you cloudy prick!" Slade called back as he continued to run through the minefield. 'Figures,' thought Clay, 'Land mines typically only activate when a minimal amount of weight presses down on them. But Slade's lowered his density so much that the mines don't even register what little weight he has.' Another surprise came then as a huge explosion of several mines at the back of the track caught everyone's attention. 'What the-,' thought Slade as he saw a green-haired figure flying through the air on top of a piece of armor from one of the robots, 'Midoriya!'

Clay increased his speed backwards as he stood up straighter. Todoroki and Bakugou took notice of Midoriya flying over their heads then too, neither of which was pleased about it. The two ceased fighting each other as Bakugou shot forward through the air using his explosions, while Todoroki made an ice path on the ground, allowing him to run at full speed without triggering the mines. 'This is gonna be close,' thought Clay as he saw Midoriya about to land in between Todoroki and Bakugou. That was when Clay got the biggest surprise of the whole race.

At the last second before hitting the ground, Midoriya flipped forward in midair and slammed the armor plate he'd been riding onto the ground, activating several mines. Clay moved to the side as his green-haired friend came shooting past him onto the end of the field. "Now that's the way!" Exclaimed Clay as his friend ran at full speed on the home stretch.

"No you don't Deku!" yelled Bakugou as he and Todoroki ran through the pink smoke, "If anyone's winning this race it's gonna be me!"

"Wanna bet!" Exclaimed Clay as he sent out two small, rolling spike balls across the field in front of Todoroki and Bakugou, detonating several more mines. Clay could hear a grunt of disapproval as well as a lot of swearing as his two classmates ran out of the field coughing and covering their eyes with their arms.

"You damn cloud $ %!" Yelled Bakugou as he and Todoroki sped towards Clay on the home stretch, "Stay out of my way!"

"Now, now," Said Clay as he continued to speed backwards, glancing over his shoulder every few moments, "That's not the kind of language you use when kids are watching."

"Screw you!" Bakugou yelled back as he launched himself at Clay with his explosion quirk. Clay reacted by launching a couple of fist-sized clouds at him, but Bakugou blasted them away with his quirk before using his other hand to fire at Clay himself. But he wasn't fast enough as the cloud user leapt off of his current form of transportation, forming a cloud cloth in his hands as he did so. As his current opponent attempted to blast by him, Clay used some movements Uncle Aizawa had taught him to entangle Bakugou in the cloth, pulling them both out of the air.

As they both landed on the ground, the explosion quirk user directed his anger at Clay. "You just stay out of my-what the?!" Both classmates looked own as their feet became frozen to the ground.

"You should've kept your focus on the race," Said Todoroki as he ran past them, "You might've ma-AAAAH!" The fire/ice user was interrupted by a large foot jumping off of his head, nearly knocking him over in the process.

"Take your own advice icy hot," Said Slade as he ran for the tunnel to the finish. Todoroki responded by sending out another sheet of ice at him. But the density quirk user leapt out of the way as Todoroki followed after him. Clay and Bakugou took this chance to blast their way out of the ice with their respective quirks before launching themselves towards the other three competitors. It was about this time that Slade was tripped up.

Todoroki had sent out two sheets of ice, one to trick Slade into jumping and the other went right where he was gonna land. Slade fell and slid along the ice past Todoroki, but quickly righted himself by increasing his density. By then, however, it was too late. Midoriya had already entered the tunnel into the stadium, with Todoroki hot on his tail and Clay and Bakugou following close behind. 'Got time for one last trick,' thought Clay as he entered the tunnel, 'Just hope this works.'

With a final effort, Clay produced a large, but not terribly thick amount of cloud which filled up the entire tunnel. Bakugou reacted with several blind explosions while Todoroki used his ice to shield himself from the blasts. The mass of smoke and clouds created from the three quirks shot out of the end of the tunnel as the crowd watched, waiting to see who'd exit first. A massive cheer broke out as the first competitor exited the tunnel and crossed the finish line, followed by two others.

"And here he is!" Exclaimed Present Mike over the stadium speakers, "The winner of the obstacle course is class 1A's Izuku Midoriya!" The crowd continued to cheer as Present Mike went on to list the names of the runner ups as well. Todoroki took second place, with a smirking Clay in third. An angry Bakugou wound up in fourth place while Slade took fifth place. Shortly after that, the remaining students crossed the finish line, breaking off into their own little groups as everyone stood around trying to catch their breath.

"So I gotta know something," Said Slade as he and Clay finally managed to catch their breaths, "What exactly was your game in this event?"

"How do ya mean," replied Clay, "I tried to make it to the finish line just like everyone else."

"Don't give me that Clay," Said Slade with a frown, "I've clocked you at your max speed on your cloud. There's also the fact that you could fly well above this stadium, or any of the obstacles they had here." Clay thought about playing dumb for a bit longer, but he knew when Slade was serious about something.

"So you're asking why didn't I just go all out and win this thing," Said Clay as he thought about the best way to phrase his response. "Well for starters, this whole festival is about us showing off how good our quirks are, or how creatively we can use them." He then pointed to Midoriya, who was currently talking to Uraraka. "But he went through this whole obstacle course relying on nothing more than his wits and his physical abilities, and in the end he pulled ahead of both Todoroki and Bakugou, the top two in the hero course."

"Yeah but he probably wouldn't have won if you didn't interfere those couple of times," Slade pointed out.

"They were chances to show off my quirk," Said Clay, "But more importantly, I thought about the principle of the thing."

"And that is," asked Slade, raising a quizzical eyebrow at Clay's statement.

"That between the two of us, Midoriya deserved to win more," Said Clay, "Sure, my quirk allows me to fly through the air and it has numerous applications. But who really deserves to win, someone who was lucky enough to be born with a handy talent, or the person who works their tail off and pushes back against every disadvantage to achieve the same goal as the one with the handy talent."

"Well I suppose in a perfect world," Said Slade, "It'd be the hard working individual. In a perfect world."

"And I don't know anyone who's worked harder or endured more pain in our class than our friend Izuki," Said Clay. "So I did what I felt was right, and gave our friend a little opening, one that he managed to spot and use. And I did this only after I saw how far he'd come without using his quirk, so it's not like I gave him a free ride or anything."

"I suppose that's true," Said Slade, "You were busy giving those to everyone else." Clay frowned at that a bit before the two of them burst out laughing. 'One down,' thought Clay, 'but I can't help but wonder, what will the next two events have in store?'

 **The first event draws to a close with Midoriya coming out on top. But this is just the beginning of the sports festival and far more obstacles, and pain, still await our heroes in training. Also, a quick apology as I had intended to get this out yesterday and kind of messed up a little. So as always, I'd like to thank my readers, commenters, and reviewers for their patience and understanding. Check out the next chapter as Clay discovers that some of his good intentions might not be yielding the results he expected. 'Til next time.**


	21. Cloud and Hammer Calvary

**Cloud and Hammer Calvary**

UA Sports Festival Stadium

Of the sixty students who'd gone through the first event, only the top forty-two were allowed to advance. So far, all of class 1A had managed to make it to through to the next event, which was being chosen the same way as before. Clay waited in block formation with the remaining students as the large screen cycled through the titles of one event after the other. 'I wonder if the first event will have any bearing on this event,' Clay thought as the titles scrolled slower and slower until finally landing on an event.

"And for our next event," Said Midnight, "The cavalry battle!" a number of murmurs went through the gathering of students. 'Well that's different,' thought Slade, 'A team event at a sports festival?' "For those of you wondering about the rules, allow me to explain," Said Midnight as the screen shifted, acting as a visual aid. "Everyone here will form a team consisting of two to four members. It'll be much like your normal playground style game, with a slight catch."

'Always a catch,' thought Clay. "This game will involve point values, which have been given to each individual based on the results of the last event."

"Oh I get it," Said Uraraka, "Depending on who teams up with who, each team will have a different amount of points."

"You got it girl," Said Ashido happily, before Midnight cracked her weapon like a whip.

"Why don't you can it and let me finish explaining!" Midnight said, somehow overhearing the two girl's conversation. "Now as I was saying, the assigned points go up by five for each contestant, starting at five for 42nd place, ten for 41st place and so on."

'That makes sense,' thought Clay, 'last place has the least, which means that first place has-wait a minute.' A realization hit Clay then as he finally put two and two together, 'Oh $ $!'

"The one in first place," Said Midnight, "Has been assigned a special value of 10 million points!" 'I hadn't even considered it,' thought Clay as he put his hands to his head, 'By helping Midoriya take first place in the last event, I put a giant bullseye on his back!'

"Way to go a-hole," Slade whispered, easily guessing what Clay was thinking right about then.

"I know alright," Said Clay as he crossed his arms, "No good deed goes unpunished and all that." Slade simply nodded his head as Midnight continued to explain the rules.

"Now each team's total point value shall be displayed by a head band worn by the rider," Midnight said, "Your goal shall be to collect as many of these head bands as possible. All captured head bands will be worn from the neck up, meaning the more you collect, the harder they'll be to keep up with. Something else I should mention, is that even if a team loses all they're headbands or falls down, they can keep playing until time runs out!"

"So it could be anyone's game," Momo thought aloud. Slade nodded his head in affirmation.

"If I'm doing my math right," Slade Said, "There should be about ten to twelve teams total all fighting for the most head bands. So however the teams turn out will basically determine an overall strategy." Momo nodded her head in agreement as Midnight explained the next part of the event.

"You can use your quirks as often as you desire," Said Midnight, "However, there are still rules in this game. Anyone who makes a team fall on purpose shall be immediately red carded and disqualified!" This rule seemed to sit better with some people than others. "Now you have fifteen minutes to form your teams, so I'd recommend getting started."

"Well I guess we better-," Clay was about to say when a number of students surrounded both him, Bakugou, and Todoroki. 'That's gonna be a problem,' thought Slade as he managed to move away from the crowd.

"Just hang in there Clay," Slade called as he made his way over to their friend, "I'll be right back!"

"Just hurry up please-hey, get off my back!" Replied Clay as he was now struggling to yank Mineta off his back in addition to dealing with several other students begging to have him on their team. 'Sometimes it sucks being at the top,' thought Slade. Of course, Clay's situation was the exact reverse of Midoriya's at the moment.

"It seems you're having a bit of trouble finding people," Said Slade as he walked over to Midoriya, "Need any recommendations?"

"Oh, hey Slade," Said Midoriya, who was practically alone on the field right now, "Yeah I could use a few. Since I'm worth ten million points, no one wants to partner with me. That and no one thinks they can trust me because I never used my quirk in the last event."

"There are a few here who trust you," Said Slade, "Like Uraraka and Iida for example."

"Why can't you and Clay help out in this event?" Asked Midoriya, "You both know my quirk's strength and you're my two oldest friends."

"Well there are two main reasons for that," Said Slade as he crossed his arms and thought about how best to explain it. "First off, it's not just you but nearly all of our friends that are asking us to join them. Now you know how Clay is when it comes to picking from among friends, even for simpler activities, he'd just as soon not do it than potentially hurt other's feelings. That also leads us to our second reason."

"And what's that exactly," Asked Midoriya, somewhat confused at the logic coming from his friend.

"Well, Clay also feels kind of guilty," Said Slade, "He kind of helped you out a bit by giving you an opening in the last event to get first place. And we can all see how that turned out."

"So Clay's basically afraid that he'll only make things worse if he tries to help me out again," Midoriya summed up.

"Pretty much," Replied Slade, "Me and him have both got pretty high numbers from our places in the race. If we team up with you, it's extremely likely every single team will hit us with everything they've got right from the beginning. So Clay and I decided it would just be the two of us for this event."

"I see," Said Midoriya, somewhat somberly, "I guess that does make some sense to a degree."

"But that's why I got some recommendations for you," Said Slade as he held up his fingers, "You see I know I can convince at least a couple people to go along with you."

"Like who," Asked Midoriya, now extremely curious to hear what Slade had to say.

"Well there's Iida and Tokoyami to consider," Said Slade, "Neither of them have a team yet. Also, I bumped into a friend of ours from the support course, Mei Hatsume. She's mulling things over at the moment, but I off-handedly mentioned that her little gadgets would be in the spotlight if she teamed up with Mr. Ten million. Careful though, she has no concept of personal space."

"I know a couple of them could do well," Said Midoriya as he put his hand to his chin, "Was there anyone else?" Slade simply smirked as he pointed at the brown-haired girl walking towards them, Uraraka.

"Hey Deku," Said Uraraka, "Wanna team up?" Midoriya's reaction was priceless as a mass of tears shot out of his eyes. 'Yeah, that should work,' thought Slade as he and Uraraka wiped their friend's tears off of them. Slade then took that moment to look back over at Clay, who was still having a hard time getting the more persistent students off of his back.

"Alright," Said Slade as he turned to leave, "I gotta go get Clay out of that mob over there. So good luck recruiting the rest of your team."

"I appreciate it Slade," Said Midoriya, "Good luck to you guys too." Slade waved back as he continued walking away.

In the span of the next few minutes, the timer finally rang, ending the time for teams to form as everyone was given a headband with their total point value. "About time," Said Clay as he hopped onto Slade's shoulders, his friend's large size easily allowing him to lift him up. "I was afraid I was gonna get dog piled there a couple of times."

"That's what you get for showing off," Said Slade as he adjusted his density to allow him to run with the added weight of his friend, "Even if it's not the most flashy, your quirk's versatility is obvious to anyone paying attention."

"Speaking of attention," Said Clay, "How many do you think are gonna be aiming to get our headbands?"

"Most of them will aim for Midoriya first," Replied Slade as he analyzed their current situation. "A few will aim for other team's head bands until they either get a shot at Midoriya's team or until they feel they've gathered enough points."

"Makes sense," Replied Clay as he examined the team Midoriya had. 'He's got Mei, Uraraka, and Tokoyami backing him up, so his defense and movement will probably be pretty solid.' "What if we changed the number of teams coming after us?" Asked Clay, a bit of an idea forming in his head.

"How so?" Asked Slade as he observed the gears grinding in his friend's cloudy noggin.

"If we put on a good enough show, more of them may come after us, right" Said Clay.

"I thought we weren't trying to help Midoriya," Said Slade, a little confused, "Especially considering how well that's gone so far in this competition."

"But we won't be helping Midoriya," Said Clay, "We'll be helping ourselves by drawing in a larger number of opponents." Slade thought it over for a moment as he started catching onto Clay's plan.

"So you're saying that we give those teams coming after us a little reversal of fortune," Said Slade, "That's kinda sneaky actually."

"The other teams will be using every trick in the book to get headbands," Said Clay. "So if we're gonna make it through this event we need to hit 'em with some tricks of our own." Slade nodded in agreement.

"Alright, the 12 cavalry teams are all assembled!" Present Mike practically yelled over the speakers, "So give a shout out for some arena busting, team battle action!" The crowd cheered in response as Present Mike began the count down. Every team tensed up as the number went down to zero. "BEGIN!" Yelled Midnight. The teams all rushed at once, most of them in the same direction.

"So freakin' predictable!" Clay exclaimed as he produced a large amount of his cloud quirk, covering most of Slade as they charged forward. His friend lowered his density to the point that Clay was barely weighed down, allowing them to glide across the field at a fast pace. 'Let's see how good of a show we can put on,' thought Clay as he steered them towards their first target, Tetsu Tetsu's team.

They, like just about everyone else, were headed for Midoriya's team and opened up by using a quirk which turned the ground into quicksand. But their friend had chosen his allies well as he used a jetpack supplied by Hatsume to escape and jump right over Tetsu Tetsu's team. 'There's an opening,' thought Clay as he used more of his quirk to form a shield, lance and helmet out of his clouds. "Let's make this a real cavalry battle!" Exclaimed Clay as they charged forward at Tetsu's team. They noticed in the next instant as Tetsu used his steel quirk to harden his skin, which caused the cloud lance to break up on impact.

"You really think something like that can take me down?!" Yelled Tetsu Tetsu as Clay and Slade passed right by them.

"Wasn't supposed to," Replied Clay as he reached his hand through the dissolving cloud, snatching Tetsu Tetsu's head band as they went by. "It was just to make an opening."

"Hey you give that back!" Yelled Tetsu as one of his teammates, a girl with thorny vines for hair, shot a tendril at them. But Clay raised up the cloud shield he'd formed, deflecting the thorny hair as they were turning and rushed out of range.

"That's a start," Said Slade as they continued to glide around the field, "Where to next?" Clay looked around, making sure to keep a look out for any other teams approaching from their peripherals. It was then that he spotted Shoji, with his large, wing-like tentacles covering something on his back. His team was heading for Midoriya's team as well. Go figure.

"Why don't we see how much extra weight Shoji can hold," Said Clay as he directed his cloud towards the other team. Circling around, they approached from behind Shoji, aiming for his blind spot. As they did so, Clay noted that purple, rubber-like balls and a long frog tongue were shooting out at Midoriya's team. 'So that's your game,' thought Clay as he readied his cloud. "Here we go," he said as he used his quirk to catapult them into the air.

Two surprised voices joined Shoji's as Slade and Clay landed on top of the large, dupli-arms. "You forgot to cover your rear flank," Said Slade as he increased his density, using his newfound weight to push apart the enemy horse's arms.

"Hey what the heck?!" Exclaimed Mineta as he and Tsuyu were revealed to be hiding under Shoji's arms, covering their eyes at the sudden light shining on their faces. Using the half-second of surprise to their advantage, Slade reached down and snatched Mineta's head band before jumping off and back on the ground.

"If he'd created a couple of eyes on those arms of his, he might've seen us coming," Said Slade as he decreased his density again while handing Clay the head band.

"That's what you get when you focus all your efforts on offense," Said Clay as he reformed his cloud beneath them. An explosion above them drew their attention as they saw Bakugou falling away from Midoriya in midair without the rest of his team. Sero reeled him back in with his scotch tape quirk a moment later.

"Is that even legal," Asked Slade. His question was answered a moment later as Midnight declared that since Bakugou didn't hit the ground, it was a legal maneuver.

"Guess that answers tha-," Clay was interrupted by a tug on his head as he felt someone's fingers dig into the cloud helmet around his head.

"It seems your efforts on defense weren't as focused as you thought either," Said a student with short, blond hair, a number of captured headbands around his neck and a $ ^-eating grin on his face. But he wasn't the only one grinning. "Wait a minute, what's going on?" The blond student tried and tried but he couldn't pull his fingers out of the cloud formation around Clay's head.

"It's about time," Said Clay as he reached up and snatched the other student's head band, "I was beginning to think we'd be ignored this whole game." The blond student tried to reach up with his other hand, only for it to be engulfed as the clouds surrounding Slade's legs moved up and wrapped around his arms. "Do it now Slade!" His larger friend complied as he reached up and grabbed the solidified clouds, increasing his density as he did so. Then, with planted feet, he twisted around and yanked their blond opponent's whole team around.

They slid several feet away before a black-haired student used a quirk to solidify their breath, creating a wall which stopped the sliding team. "Neito Monoma, right," Said Clay as the two teams faced each other down, "The one with the copy quirk?"

"You know who I am?" Questioned their current opponent, "And you know of my quirk."

"After you jack wagons crowded the entrance to our class, we got to researching everyone in class 1B," Said Slade, "Did you really think you were the only ones scouting the competition?"

"That's how you knew to avoid physical contact," Neito mused aloud before ordering his team to charge forward. "But that doesn't change the fact that you're still a bunch of overrated first years!" Clay and Slade tensed up as they noticed another team coming up behind them, led by a big, yellow guy who had multiple holes on his face for eyes and a mouth with teeth resembling a jack-o-lantern.

"Get ready to move," Said Clay when their large, yellow opponent fired some kind of glue-like substance. Clay deflected the majority of it, but enough still covered Slade's foot to stick him to the ground. "Not good," Said Clay as he was about to use his clouds to free Slade.

"No, I'll use my trump card," Said Slade as the two enemy teams closed in on them, "Just get ready to jump and form the hammer." Clay wanted to argue, but there wasn't time as the two teams were hardly a few feet from them. "Now!" Ordered Slade as he immediately went to decreasing his density. Clay gathered clouds to his hands and used them to pull him off of Slade and over Neito's team. As they tried to right themselves, Slade suddenly phased through them like some kind of ghost.

The two teams were so surprised by this that they had no time to slow down as they barreled into each other. Clay was almost laughing as he floated down to Slade, who'd raised his density back to high. "Didn't know I could do that did you," Said Slade as Clay landed on his shoulders, "And I'll bet you also didn't know we practiced this move." Clay hopped off of Slade as he gathered all of his current clouds around himself, forming them into the shape of a hammer as Slade grabbed the 'handle' which had formed beneath Clay's feet.

"Try not to let go this time," Said Clay as he finished forming the hammer around himself.

"You know I wouldn't let go in this kind of situation," Said Slade as he grinned with a rare glint of glee in his eye, "Especially not when we finally get to debut Slade's cloud hammer!" The other teams who'd gathered around them gasped as the density quirk user lifted the large hammer off of his shoulder and swung it downwards towards the nearest group.

"Retreat!" Yelled the small girl atop the yellow giant as they quickly changed direction. Slade was all too happy to give chase as he swung and swung his new, giant weapon.

"Muhahahahaha!" Slade laughed like a madman as he continued to swing the hammer around wildly. "Yes, run and cower in fear for the hammer man has come a-knocking, HAHAHAHAHA!" Another team, consisting of a green-haired student riding a blond girl with dragon-like horns attempted to tackle Slade from behind. But the density quirk user picked up on them pretty quickly as he turned around and started swinging at them.

'Sheesh,' thought Clay as he fought off the rising tides of motion sickness from within the cloud hammer. 'I thought his odd enjoyment of this was bad during training. But he's having so much fun swinging this hammer right now that he doesn't care who he's chasing.' Indeed Slade switched his attention from one team after another until a flash of electricity followed by a large wave of ice suddenly came rushing out of nowhere. Reacting quickly, the 1A student leapt up as high as he could, managing to avoid getting his feet frozen as their attention was directed back towards Midoriya's team.

Or at least it would've been if not for a large number of ice spikes obstructing their view. "I think it's time for us to move on the remaining big shots," Said Clay, peeking out of a whole he made in the hammer as Slade turned to the ice wall.

"Not a problem," Said Slade as he charged forward. As they approached the ice wall, Slade began spinning, increasing his density as he went to gain even more momentum for the strike. Clay braced the clouds around himself to as dense as they would go without suffocating him. 'I'm gonna be sick,' thought Clay as his friend slammed the cloud weapon into the ice, bashing through it with maximum force.

Ice shattered before them as a large opening was created by the blow. "It's time for a countdown!" Exclaimed Present Mike suddenly, prompting Slade to check the timer. ' $ $, only ten seconds left,' he thought as he rushed forward towards the two teams at the edge of the field, Midoriya and Todoroki's. 'Gotta make this one count!' A blast from the other side of the ice wall announced the entrance of Bakugou and his team as the explosion quirk user came flying into the fray.

All four teams were on a collision course as Slade made a split second decision for where to aim his strike. Just as the hammer was about to meet with the other team, the bell rang. "And the time is up!" Exclaimed Present Mike, prompting Slade to stop his strike in mid-swing. Bakugou, however, couldn't stop his flight through the air as he slammed right into the cloud hammer before falling back to the ground.

"Well that's it then," Said Slade, calming down from his excitement as Clay dispersed the cloud hammer and landed, or rather stumbled onto the ground.

"I think I'm gonna hurl," Said Clay as he tried his best to maintain his balance. 'Man that combo always makes me dizzy as $ $.' He thought as he managed to get his footing by placing his hands on his knees.

"And now, to announce the top five teams that will be moving on!" Said Present Mike as the score board erased all the other teams. "In first place is team Todoroki!" 'Crap,' thought Clay, 'they managed to get the one million points from Midoriya didn't they.'

"In second place is team Bakugou, and in third place, team Clay!" Continued Present Mike.

"Look at that," Said Slade as he patted his friend on the back, "We made it to the next round. I'll admit, I kind of stopped keeping track of where we were when I started swinging the hammer."

"Yeah I noticed," Said Clay as he finally managed to stand up straight, a little less nauseous than before.

"And in fourth place is team Tets-what a minute, it's team Shinzo, when did they jump in the rankings?" Said Present Mike, clearly as surprised as everyone else. Clay was starting to get worried at this point as he checked the rankings. His green-haired friend seemed in the dumps, but after looking at the board, Clay grinned.

"Hey Midoriya," Called Clay, "I'd save the long face for when they're done announcing." This statement seemed to confuse Midoriya quite a bit until Present Mike spoke again.

"And in fifth place is team Midoriya!" Announced Present Mike, prompting a cheer from the crowd. The green-haired boy was more than a little confused until the rest of his team pointed towards Tokoyami, who'd managed to use his shadow to snatch Todoroki's head band at the last second. Midoriya was so overjoyed that he shot out tears like a blasted fountain. Clay coulda sworn he sunk into the ground a little bit too.

"Whew," Said Slade, "I guess he didn't really need any help after all."

"Guess not," Said Clay as he turned to head out of the stadium with everyone else. "Come on, we got an hour lunch break. Best make the most of it before the next event."

"I second that," Said Slade as he moved to follow, "Swinging around a large cloud hammer really builds up an appetite."

"Well at least that makes one of us," Said Clay as they exited the stadium. "Just don't go so crazy next time we use that combo, please."

"No promises," Slade said with a laugh as he put his hands behind his head, "No promises."

 **The winners of the cavalry battle stand tall as only a handful of students are left standing for the next event. But the last event will be the longest, most grueling and painful one of them all, and only one can come out on top. But enough of the serious stuff for now. After all, I still need to thank all of my readers, reviewers and commenters who've kept up with this story so far. And a slight request, if anyone sees anything that can be improved in this story or have any ideas they'd like to throw my way, don't hesitate. After all, it's only because of you, my fellow readers and writers that I've been able to make my stories as good as they are right now. Be sure to stop by as the final event of the sports festival begins, by pitting everyone against each other. 'Til next time.**


	22. Setting the Brackets

**Setting the Brackets**

UA Sports Festival Stadium: Cafeteria

"How did you do that Slade?" Asked Mina as they all sat down for the allotted lunch break. "I saw two whole teams charging at you and you just, passed through them like they weren't there."

"It was my trump card," Said Slade as he ate his food, "It's taken me a lot of time and practice to perfect. But basically, I can lower my density to such a small degree that my molecules can lose a bit of cohesion, allowing me to become temporarily intangible." The look on Mina's face told him that everything he just said went right over her head. "I can pass through solid objects at super low density."

"Why didn't you say that in the first place," Said Mina as she rubbed her head in frustration.

"I did," Said Slade, "I just thought you'd want to know all the details."

"Next time just tell me the details that make sense," Said Mina, "But that does bring up a question. Can you be like a ghost or something?"

"Not exactly," Said Slade, "Unlike most of my density changes which can be permanent I can only maintain that form for a short amount of time, otherwise my molecules might start drifting away."

"Regardless it's rather ingenious," Said Momo, "A well placed use of that phase technique and you could avoid even the most damaging of physical attacks."

"Well I'm more than certain you could easily whip up something that could stop it," Replied Slade, "After all, your quirk allows you to create any kind of weapon, even obscure ones." This comment seemed to please Momo a good bit.

"What I want to know is where you guys came up with the idea for a giant hammer," Said Kaminari. "I mean come on, not only was it within the rules since Clay wasn't touching the ground but he was practically impossible to get at while you were swinging him around."

"It's not as great as you think," groaned Clay as he tried to keep his food down, "If Slade loses his grip while he's swinging at high density, I go airborne. And let's not even talk about all the nausea from being swung around at who knows how many miles an hour."

"Not to mention you couldn't see the looks on all the other student's faces when Slade was going nuts," Said Kirishima. "Man they were running for their lives, I was kinda worried he was gonna chase after us next."

"I thought about it," Said Slade, "but you weren't the closest team to us, so lucky break and all that."

"Yeah, but don't think you'll be so lucky in the finals," Said Kirishima as he banged his fists together. "You'll just have your fists then, think those'll be enough?" Slade clenched the fingers on his right hand together, causing his knuckles to crack.

"I think I'll still have a fair chance," Slade said with a slight grin, "The hammer was fun, but I'll enjoy using my fists just as much."

"Bring it on," Said Kirishima as the two UA students stared each other down.

"Hey don't forget, I'm in the finals too," Said Kaminari, "So don't think muscle's gonna win the day."

"And there go the boys again," Said Jirou as she sipped her drink of choice. "Always so hyper competitive."

"You'd probably be that way too if you were in the finals," Commented Clay off-handedly.

"Way to rub it in cloudy," Said Jirou, "You gonna make fun of my ear jacks while you're at it too?"

"Wasn't trying to be insulting," Said Clay, "I'm just pointing out that you no longer have a reason to act competitively. As for your ear jacks, I actually think they're pretty handy little tools."

"Oh," Said Jirou, "My bad. I guess I'm still a bit miffed about it, getting so far only to lose because we didn't keep an eye on our own head band."

"Well the important thing is you got to show off your quirk in the first place," Said Clay as he sat back and crossed his arms. "So long as a hero agency noticed you, that's all that matters, right?"

"Says the guy whose been showing off for most of this competition so far," Tsuyu pointed out. Clay was about to argue, until he realized she was probably right. And let his head droop.

"By the way," Said Jirou, "Where's Midoriya at? He's usually hanging around you guys or Uraraka."

"He and Todoroki are having some kind of important conversation," Replied Clay. "Not sure what about, but I'm fairly certain it has something to do with why All Might is backing Midoriya."

"Do you guys know why All Might seems to be backing Midoriya," Asked Tsuyu as Momo and Jirou got up to get more food.

"Hard to say," Said Slade as he put a hand to his chin, "I know they have extraordinarily similar quirks. It's possible he's helping him control it so he doesn't break his bones every time he uses it. Or maybe All Might's looking for a replacement because he's gonna be stepping down as the number one hero soon."

"I doubt that last one," Said Kirishima, "The guy punched a villain through a dome the last time he fought. From what I can tell he's still got a good number of years on him." 'I wish you were right about that,' thought Clay as he remembered what he overheard from one of his Uncle's conversations, 'but it might not be as long as any of us think.' At that moment, Momo and Jirou sat down, both of them looking surprisingly uncomfortable.

"Something up?" Asked Clay, noticing the change in their attitudes.

"I'd rather not talk about it," Said Jirou as she poked at her food, "Freakin' festival rules." Clay simply raised his eyebrow at that.

"We found out all the girls are required to attend one of the events," Momo explained, "I guess Mr. Aizawa hadn't gotten around to telling us."

"Odd," Said Clay, "My Uncle's usually on top of that kind of stuff. I wonder if his head injury is getting to him?"

"Well either way," Said Momo, "If it's coming from our homeroom teacher I'm fairly certain it's serious."

"Assuming he's not pulling another rational deception," Said Slade, "Those are starting to get on my nerves."

"We can only hope," Said Jirou, prompting everyone else to nod in agreement as they finished up their respective meals.

Sports Festival Stadium: Competition Resumes

The crowd was cheering louder than ever as the students all walked out onto the field. A series of recreational games had been prepared before the finals to keep the crowd entertained as well as allow the students already eliminated to continue showing off their quirks. Though a different form of 'showing off,' held Clay's attention at the moment. 'I wondered where the girls had gotten off to in the middle of lunch, but this was not what I was expecting,' he thought as he caught sight of all the girls in class 1A.

"Not that you all don't look extraordinarily hot," Said Clay as they walked out onto the field, "But why exactly are you wearing those outfits?" For whatever reason, the girls had all donned orange cheerleading outfits, yellow palm palms included.

"For the big cheer battle," Answered Mina as she waved her palm palms around a bit, "Apparently we have to wear these uniforms and everything."

"Funny," Said Clay as he scratched his head, "They've never had a cheer battle before."

"Kaminari and Mineta said we had too," Answered Jirou, "They told us it came straight from Aizawa sensei even." That fact took him by surprise, until a sudden realization hit him.

"Those rat bastards," Seethed Clay as he rubbed the back of his head, "If my Uncle was gonna tell anyone about anything it would not have been those two morons."

"Wait," Said Momo, "If he didn't tell them about the cheer battle, then why are we-?"

"What's this, it seems the girls of class 1A have gone fan service on us folks!" Announced Present Mike over the intercom as the crowd caught sight of them.

"They freakin' tricked us!" Exclaimed Mina as all the girls came to the same realization.

"Oh man and I even used my quirk to make these uniforms!" Exclaimed Momo as she sank to her knees. Uraraka patted her on the back reassuringly while Jirou angrily threw her palm palms on the ground.

"Man I hate those $$ ing perverts," Jirou said as she crossed her arms in frustration.

"I know they tricked us and all," Said Hagakure, "But I actually kind of like these outfits. Besides, we've got a little time to kill before the finals, so why don't we just roll with this!" The excited girl then started waving her palm palms around, giving the appearance of a dancing uniform thanks to her invisible quirk.

"Wow, not bad Tooru," Said Tsuyu as a large number of camera flashes appeared to be coming from the stands behind them. 'I do feel bad for them,' thought Clay as he got into block formation with the rest of the students, 'but I also can't say the view is unwelcome either. But I'd best keep that to myself.'

"Alright everyone!" Exclaimed Present Mike over the intercom, "For the finals, eighteen students are gonna battle it out in a tournament style competition!" The image of a bracket appeared on the large screen to provide visual aid. 'Makes sense I guess,' thought Clay, 'The finals are always one on one match ups. But this year is gonna be a lot rougher considering last year was just a foam sword fighting match.'

"Please step forward to draw lots and see who you'll be facing," Announced Midnight, "Then feel free to sit back and enjoy the recreational games. If any of the eighteen finalists wishes to participate, they are more than welcome to. If not, it's understandable, you'll want to conserve your stamina for the finals. Now, would the first place team step forward-."

"Uh, excuse me mam," Said Ojiro as he raised his hand suddenly, "I'd like to apologize first and foremost, but I've decided to withdraw." A number of gasps and murmurs spread through the crowd as Midoriya spoke up first.

"You can't really mean that Ojiro," Said Midoriya as Iida voiced his opinion on the matter.

"You're giving up an incredible chance to be scouted," Said Iida, equally worried about his fellow classmate.

"Ordinarily I'd agree with both of you," Said Ojiro, "But the fact of the matter is I can hardly remember what happened after a certain point during the cavalry battle, likely that Shinso guy's quirk. So my conscience won't let me continue. I know it's a good chance for me to get scouted but I just can't."

"But you have to think about what you're doing," Said Midoriya, trying to reason with his friend.

"I've already given it a lot of thought, okay," Said Ojiro, "Everyone gave it their all in the last event, but I was just a puppet. If I'm gonna advance, I want it to be the right way, giving it my all like everyone else."

"You're making this into a bigger deal than it should be," Said Hagakure as she waved her palm palms frantically, "Just wreck it in the finals and prove you belong here!"

"Hagakure's right," Added Mina, "I mean I hardly did anything in the last event either."

"That's not the point," Said Ojiro as he covered his face with his hand, "I'd be sacrificing my pride if I went on to the next event. I don't want to give that up, in fact I refuse too." Everyone tried to think of how to respond to that, until Ojiro said the next part. "Also, why are the girls in cheerleading outfits?" The rest of the girls looked away, embarrassment on their faces at being reminded about their current apparel.

"Mineta and Kaminari pulled one over on 'em," Explained Slade as another student stepped forward. Clay didn't hear his whole name, something-Shota, but he also asked to withdraw for the same reason as Ojiro. The display made Kirishima tear up at how manly it was. Of course, the final decision was Midnight's.

"This is some incredibly naïve talk boys," Said Midnight, "Fortunately that turns me on! Very well, you're both withdrawn!" 'Did she just say it turns her on?' questioned a majority of the students. "Now, to compensate for this loss, we'll need to move up two other students from the cavalry battle."

"I'd recommend team Tetsu Tetsu," Said a 1B student. Clay recognized the speaker as a girl named Kendo, a student with long, orange hair done up in a ponytail. "Unlike a number of us who were frozen for a good bit of the time, team Tetsu Tetsu kept fighting."

"Wait, are you sure Kendo," Asked a surprised Tetsu Tetsu.

"Don't look at it like we're doing you guys a favor," Said Kendo, "It's just being fair."

"THANK YOU KENDO!" Exclaimed Tetsu Tetsu, rather loudly as he tried not to tear up himself. In the end, both him and the girl with thorny vines for hair, Shiozaki, were moved to the finals.

"Now everyone, take a look at your opponents!" Clay and Slade both viewed who they were up against.

"Seems I'm up against Kaminari," Observed Clay, "While you get this Shiozaki girl."

"That's gonna be fun," Commented Slade, "a thorny-haired girl that's rumored to be like an assassin."

"And who does Midoriya get," Asked Clay as he checked the bracket. "Shinso, great, the sleepy-eyed guy with purple hair."

"We'd best warn Midoriya about that guy's quirk," Suggested Slade, "A powerhouse quirk won't help him if his mind is messed up."

"I think Ojiro's already on that," Clay pointed out as he caught sight of Ojiro talking to Midoriya, "Plus, we've got some other folks to deal with." No sooner had he said it than Kaminari popped up next to them, with Shiozaki coming from the other direction.

"Gosh you're so freakin' lucky Slade," Commented Kaminari as he glanced at the vine-haired competitor next to them, "You get to take on a cute girl while I gotta deal with your cloudy friend."

"Thanks, that makes me feel great," Said Clay, sarcastically while Slade rolled his eyes.

"You do know Shiozaki here is supposedly nicknamed the assassin of class 1B right," Said Slade as said girl stopped next to them, "Not exactly a stellar match up for me."

"I don't know where you heard such a thing," Said Shiozaki, in an incredibly innocent sounding voice. "I wish only to be a hero, to save and provide help to others in need. And while I will do my best in the upcoming match, please don't think so poorly of me based on rumors spread by others." Slade and Clay sighed at that. 'Great, overly innocent sounding, that's always a good sign,' Thought Slade.

"Look I'm sure you're not a bad person, or whatever," Said Slade with a sigh, "This is a competition after all, so do what you gotta do."

"Thank you," Shiozaki said, overly sweetly, "I'm glad we can still have a mutual respect for one another. I look forward to facing you." With a bow, Shiozaki turned and left.

"Betcha a dollar she's actually a whack job," Clay whispered as soon as the vine-haired girl was out of earshot.

"Wouldn't surprise me at this point," Said Slade, "What do you think Kaminari?" But the electrical quirk user didn't answer. Instead he was too busy watching Shiozaki walk away. Clay and Slade let out another collective sigh then. 'This is gonna be a long final event,' they both thought. Shortly after that, the recreational games began.

A number of different events from giant ball rolling, to a scavenger hunt, to other kinds of ridiculous competitions. Despite them just being recreational events, the students of class 1A, as well as a few others took them surprisingly seriously. At least, that's what Clay and Slade saw of them before they retreated to the waiting rooms for the contestants. It was there that they waited, and planned for their upcoming fights.

Clay would be lying if he said he wasn't nervous. While his upcoming match with Kaminari didn't have him hugely concerned, he did still worry a bit about the matches after that. Because assuming him and Slade won all their matches, it inevitably meant one thing. Sooner or later, the two of them would be pitted against each other. But that was a problem for later. For now, the time for the finals had finally arrived, prompting him and Slade to head out to the stands to watch the first match up of the finals, Midoriya vs Shinso.

 **The Final event is about to get underway as Clay and Slade prepare to face the remaining competitors. Not only that, they can't rely on each other for this event like the others as they'll find themselves going head to head with several of their own classmates. But before that, onto the other important stuff. As always, I'd like to thank all of my readers, followers and reviewers and encourage you all to leave a comment or review on what you liked and what needs work. Be sure to stop by next time as the matches of the first bracket begin! 'Til next time.**


	23. Quirk Over Matter

**Quirk Over Matter**

U.A. Sports Festival Stadium

The third competition had finally begun as Clay and Slade sat with the rest of class 1A to watch the first match. For this particular event, they'd all be fighting on a concrete, martial arts style arena which had been shaped by the concrete hero, Cementos, who'd also be standing by to keep things from getting two rough. Midoriya was going up against Shinso from class 1B, the purple-haired guy with tired looking eyes. From what Clay and Slade researched on the guy, which had been recently confirmed by Ojiro, Shinso had a quirk called brainwashing. Fortunately, the 1B student couldn't engage his quirk at will, or rather, a certain condition had to be met in order for his quirk to take effect.

According to Ojiro, Shinso first had to ask his opponent, or soon to be brain washee, a question and then his opponent had to answer him. Now one didn't really need an answer to the question that was asked, they just needed to respond and that was it, instant brain puppet. So the best strategy against the guy was basically to keep your mouth shut. Ojiro had told Midoriya about the quirk's weakness so in theory the green haired boy should've had an advantage. But, battles were always unpredictable things.

"And here they are!" Exclaimed Present Mike, still finding it necessary to practically shout over the speakers for some reason. "The first contestants for the finals are class 1A's Izuku Midoriya versus Hitori Shinso from the general studies course!" The crowd cheered as Present Mike went on to explain the rules. "In order to win, all you have to do is knock your opponent out or force them out of the ring! It's also a win if you get your opponent to surrender!"

'Just remember what Ojiro told you,' thought Clay, 'don't say a word to Shinso, Midoriya.' As the match began, Midoriya took a deep breath as he readied himself. That is until Shinso made an off-handed comment about Ojiro being stupid for withdrawing. This quickly got a response from Midoriya, who charged forward, demanding his opponent take back what he said. That was a mistake, because in the next instant, Midoriya stopped in place as his eyes took on a dead, spaced out look.

"Oh man," Said Ojiro as he grabbed his head in frustration, "I told him not to say a word to that guy!"

"What's happening," Asked Uraraka, taken by surprise like the majority of the class, "What's wrong with Midoriya?"

"That's Shinso's quirk," Explained Slade, "It's referred to as brainwashing and it's triggered by responding when Shinso asks a question."

"But Midoriya didn't answer his question, he just yelled at him," Said Uraraka.

"It doesn't have to be an answer," Said Clay, taking over for Slade, "All one has to do is make a response of any kind and that's it, they're brainwashed. Midoriya went in knowing this, but Shinso managed to rile him up."

"So it's over then?" Questioned Tsuyu, her monotone voice failing to hide her own worry for her classmate, "Midoriya can't fight against mind control."

"It's a simple form, from what we understand," Said Ojiro, "I was brought back to reality after bumping into another person. But what are the odds of an outside force interfering in a one on one match like this." 'A good question,' thought Clay as they helplessly watched Shinso order Midoriya to turn around and walk out of the ring. Clay took a glance up at the announcer's booth.

'I can probably guess what my Uncle's thinking right now,' He mused, 'about how the entrance exam is illogical and a bit biased. For anyone with a good physical or destructive quirk, they'd more than likely pass when faced with simple battle robots. For a guy like Shinso, however, he's at a disadvantage because his quirk only affects people, meaning he'd have no chance against the faux villains at the entrance exam. But the real world of heroing is about more than fighting robots, you have to deal with actual people. Well, that might explain the guy's motivations anyway, but that still doesn't stop me from wanting the guy to lose because of his poor attitude.'

Back in the ring, Midoriya was still heading towards the edge of the line, showing no signs of stopping as his face kept that same vacant stare. 'Come on Midoriya,' thought Clay, 'I know how determined you are to be a hero, are you really gonna let a little brainwashing do you in?' Ojiro, Iida and Uraraka continued yelling out for Midoriya to stop, but to no avail, and soon enough, he was at the edge of the ring. It was then that something well, miraculous, happened. Midoriya's two fingers on his left hand began to glow with the red lines of his quirk, and with a single flex, released a shock wave which blew up a gale force wind down at the ring.

Everyone looked on in shock for several moments before Slade finally spoke up. "He broke the brainwashing," he said, "The pain from his two broken fingers woke him up." Everyone else sighed in relief as they too noticed that Midoriya was back, panting heavily yes, but he was still inside the ring and no longer responding to Shinso's commands.

"Man I almost had a heart attack," commented Ojiro as he patted his chest. The crowd cheered as Midoriya turned back to Shinso, keeping his hand on his mouth this time. Shinso tried in vain to get the green-haired boy to answer him, but the hero course student wouldn't fall for the same trick twice as he ran across the arena and barreled into his purple-haired opponent. Shinso struggled against Midoriya but wasn't strong enough to keep from getting pushed back towards the edge of the arena.

Things got tense again when Shinso got a couple of punches in on his opponent's face before trying to yank him out of the arena. But Midoriya grabbed the brainwasher's arm and performed the same throw he used on Bakugou, slamming Shinso down where his foot was outside of the line.

"Shinso is out of bounds!" Announced Midnight as she pointed to Midoriya, "Izuku Midoriya is the winner!" The crowd cheered as a majority of class 1A let out a collective sigh of relief.

"That was waaaay too close," Exclaimed Uraraka as she fell back in her seat.

"Yes, but he turned the tables in true Midoriya fashion," Said Iida, still standing up in excitement.

"Whew, good job Midoriya," Said Slade as he collapsed back into his seat, "That would've been a really sucky way to go."

"Diddo," was all Clay was able to say as he ran the scene in his head over and over again. 'It was that close,' he thought, 'but our nerdy friend pulled through once again.' Back in the ring, both Shinso and Midoriya exchanged a few words before heading out of the ring. Clay wasn't quite sure what was said, but it looked like Midoriya was even more determined than before, while Shinso seemed to be in quiet acceptance of his defeat. All things considered, it could've ended far worse.

Midoriya returned a few minutes later after a short visit to Recovery Girl to get his fingers examined. Iida, Uraraka and a few other members of class 1A welcomed him warmly as Iida gave him a seat they'd been saving for him. Midoriya graciously accepted as he sat down to watch the next match with the rest of his class, Hanta Sero vs Shoto Todoroki. "So, how one-sided do you think this match is gonna be," Asked Slade as Present Mike was giving the introductions for the two hero course students.

"Huh," Responded Clay, who'd suddenly become lost in thought. "What now?"

"How do you think this match is gonna go?" Slade asked again, "Is everything alright there Clay?"

"Yeah, just a little concerned," Said Clay, "Something seems off about Todoroki down there." Slade took a moment to look at the ice and fire quirk user, noting his slightly more rigid posture and, if he wasn't mistaken given the distance, his usual frown seemed to be gone. What was replacing it was an unfamiliar scowl that none of them had ever seen before.

"NOW LET THE SECOND MATCH BEGIN!" Exclaimed Present Mike. Sero wasted no time in attacking as he sent out his tape, quickly wrapping up Todoroki as he slung him towards the edge of the ring. That was when Clay saw it, an angry glint in Todoroki's eyes that said he wasn't in the mood to fool around. A point he proved in the next instant as he unleashed the full might of his ice power, causing a massive, frozen wall to form on Sero's side of the ring.

On Reflex, Clay formed a spiked wall of his own out of his cloud quirk in front of class 1A and rammed it into the ice which had grown so large that it stuck several feet out of the stadium and was barely five feet from their side of the stands. "$ #$ing jack ##!" Exclaimed Clay as the rest of class 1A looked on in shock at Todoroki's massive display of his quirk. As he removed the protective layer of cloud from around the class, he noticed that the force of the ice wasn't what he expected as far as the impact went. 'At least we know he didn't totally lose control,' thought Clay as he noted how the ice curved up and away from the audience.

'Even still, dick move Todoroki,' he thought to himself. Despite the ferocity of the barrage, it seemed that Sero was only frozen enough to not move, given the fact that he was able to answer Midnight when she asked him whether or not he could continue. The obvious response being that he, of course, couldn't. "Good try!" Exclaimed some of the audience members, turning it into a chant aimed to make the tape user feel a bit better about the loss.

'Wow,' thought Slade, 'I know they want to make him feel better, but truthfully they should probably just leave it be. As for Todoroki, wonder what pissed him off?' Fortunately for Sero, Todoroki wasn't in a bad enough mood to walk off stage without unfreezing him first.

"He looked, kind of sad," Said Midoriya, apparently thinking out loud.

"Any Idea what that might've been about?" Asked Clay, just as confused as everyone else about Todoroki's outburst.

"I only have a couple of guesses," Replied Midoriya, "But I think it has something to do with the fact that his father Endeavor is watching today."

"You'll have to tell me all about it," Said Slade as he stood up, suddenly remembering he had some place to be. "Right now I got a match coming up, just as soon as they clear all of this ice out of the area."

"Uh right," Said Midoriya as he turned to Clay, "Thing is, it's kind of a personal matter for Todoroki, so I can't tell you everything. But basically, his father married his mother for her quirk."

"A quirk marriage," Said Clay as he rubbed his chin in thought, "That actually explains much more than you think." And it was gonna be an issue for anyone that went up against Todoroki next. But that was something to worry about later, because up next was Slade against the vine-haired girl Shiozaki.

 **The opening matches have begun and no one is pulling any punches! Will Slade be prepared to take on Shiozaki or are her thorny vines gonna prove too much. Also, hello everyone, apologies for the short chapter, but this just seemed like an appropriate place to end it for now. But fear not, as the next chapter will feature both density and cloud user showing their individual abilities in one on one combat. And as always I'd liked to thank my readers, followers, and reviewers for taking a look at this story, and do feel free to leave any comments or critiques on how I can make this story better. Tune in next time as Slade goes against thorns and Clay battles a living, overcharged taser. See y'all then.**


	24. Just Basic, Painful Science

**Just Basic, Painful Science**

U.A. Sports Festival Stadium

"Welcome back everyone to the sports festival finals!" exclaimed Present Mike over the loud speakers. "Apologies for the wait due to the massive amount of ice from the previous match. But now that it's all cleared up it's time to welcome our next competitors!" The four torches at each corner of the ring lit up as the next two contestants walked into the ring.

"First we have a beautiful rose with a lot of thorns. It's the assassin of class 1B, the hero course's Ibara Shiozaki!" The crowd cheered as the lovely girl with green vines for hair entered the arena. At the same time, Slade was making his way into the ring on the other side. "And her opponent is the density-shifting hero in training, class 1A's Slade Mason!" The crowd continued to cheer as the two students stopped about ten feet from each other.

'Alright,' Slade thought to himself as he took a couple of deep breaths and stretched his arms a bit, 'Stay calm, stay focused and don't get ensnared by a bunch of sharp, prickly vines.' "Now let's see one heck of a flashy battle this time!" Exclaimed Present Mike before suddenly being interrupted by Shiozaki.

"Pardon me," Said Shiozaki, who'd stepped to the side of the ring so she could be heard better. "I'm sorry for interrupting, but I was simply wondering why you called me an assassin. I merely came to this festival to claim victory, not the life of my opponent. That would undoubtedly go against the values of being a hero."

"Uh, right, sorry about that," Said Present Mike, a little taken aback that the girl was making a big deal out of this.

"Gentleman, please understand that I did not enter the hero course for selfish or wicked reasons. My wish is to deliver salvation to others, and spread true goodness throughout the world." Shiozaki continued. Slade could almost swear the sunlight was shining brighter on her while she spoke.

"Alright, I said sorry already," Said Present Mike, not quite sure how else he could apologize.

"I thank you for your understanding and kindness sir," Shiozaki replied with a polite bow before returning to her spot in the ring.

"Anyway, let the match begin!" declared Present Mike, happy to be done with the interruption.

"You do a good job of making yourself look innocent," Said Slade as he took a fighting stance, "I almost feel bad about having to fight you, almost." Shiozaki seemed a bit confused by this as Slade rushed forward, decreasing his density to pick up speed. Shiozaki took a fighting stance of her own in response to this. That is to say, she turned her back on Slade as her green, vine-hair shot into the ground, breaking through the concrete and then detaching itself from the rest of her hair.

'That's some fast hair,' thought Slade, amazed at the speed with which she was able to erect a wall against him. What was worse, several of the tiles in front of Slade where shifting, like something was moving underneath them. 'Oh crap.' Slade jumped to the side just in time as several of the thorny vines erupted from underneath the arena tiles, all of them attempting to ensnare him.

Slade dodged around the first string of vines with a few, well-practiced rolls and jumps as he tried to circle around the wall of vines. Shiozaki quickly changed her tactics then as vines began shooting out from the top of the vine wall. Slade continued to dodge, adding in a number of acrobatic flips, cartwheels and slides, an impressive feat of agility for someone of his size, which allowed him to get the rest of the way around the vine wall. "I always forget how fast he can move when he wants too," Commented Momo as Slade quickly closed the remaining gap between him and his opponent.

But Shiozaki was far from done as her viney hair lashed out at the density quirk user. Slade leapt over the attacking vines and landed on the other side of his adversary, increasing his density as he readied for an attack. Shiozaki anticipated his landing, however, and sent her vines out behind her, grabbing a hold of Slade as she whipped her head around in an attempt to throw him out of the ring. But she underestimated the speed at which her opponent could change his density.

At the apex of her swing, Slade's density grew high enough that her vines couldn't hold the weight, but it didn't stop the momentum she'd created either. Calculating his weight just right, Slade's feet hit the ground as he used his accumulated speed to yank Shiozaki off of her feet, reversing their previous predicament. Then, concentrating as hard as he could, Slade quickly lowered his density until his molecules lost cohesion, allowing him to phase through the vines. His surprised opponent quickly righted her vines, using them to create a cushion for her to land on.

"Don't think I'm finished just yet," Said Shiozaki as she righted herself with her vines.

"Actually, you kinda are," Said Slade as he pointed to the ground where Shiozaki's feet were. The vine-haired girl glanced down, her face twisting into one of surprise as she noticed where she was standing.

"Shiozaki is out of bounds!" Exclaimed Midnight as she raised her hand towards Slade, "Slade Mason is the winner!" The crowd cheered as Slade bowed to his opponent.

"It was a good match, you almost had me at a couple points," Said Slade before he turned and walked out of the ring.

"I-it was an honor," replied Shiozaki as she bowed, humbly accepting her loss.

Clay let out a low whistle at the match's conclusion. "I guess Slade's gotta get another replacement uniform," Clay said, noting the numerous new holes created by the thorny vines. "Because that is the second set of gym clothes he's ruined this week, aye Midoriya?" But the green-haired boy was a bit preoccupied as he was furiously writing down information from the match in his hero notebook. And muttering out loud again.

"Uh, maybe you should take it easy on the planning ahead," Said Uraraka snapping Midoriya out of his muttering stupor.

"Oh, sorry," Said Midoriya, covering his mouth for a moment, "It's a habit. I often don't even realize I'm thinking out loud. And with the sports festival, I'm getting to see a lot of quirks from outside our class."

"I guess that means you've already got notes on everyone one of us in the class as well," commented Clay as he stood up to leave, "Though you may be needing more in just a minute."

"Oh that's right, your match is up next," Said Uraraka, "Who were you going up against again?" Clay gave a slight smirk to that statement.

"AND HERE WE ARE AT THE FOURTH MATCH OF THE FINALS!" Exclaimed Present Mike as the crowd cheered. "This match will feature two of class 1A's upcoming heroes! First off, the boy with a very electric personality, Denki Kaminari!" A round of applause was heard as the electric quirk user walked into the ring. Clay did the same on the opposite side.

"And his opponent, the cloud warrior Clay Cero!" Announced Present Mike, which was met with even more applause. The two classmates stood across from each other as they awaited the signal to begin.

"I hope you know that it's nothing personal," Said Kaminari, "But I'm not gonna hold back just because you're my classmate." Clay nodded his head at that statement as he took a fighting stance.

"These folks came for a show right?" Replied Clay, "Let's not disappoint them."

"BEGIN!" Yelled Present Mike. The two opponents wasted no time as they both manifested their quirks. Kaminari charged forward, electricity crackling at his fingertips while Clay formed his clouds around his hands and feet as his opponent came within striking distance. Kaminari lunged forward, attempting to tackle Clay with his electrified body. But Clay was prepared for such an attack as he used the clouds around his feet to slide out of the way.

Kaminari swiped at him a few more times, each one missing as Clay glided out of the way by moving a few feet to the left or to the right. "Don't think it'll be that easy," declared his electric opponent as he kept close to Clay, forcing him back towards the edge of the arena. Soon enough, Clay couldn't move back any further without going out of the ring. "Gotcha now!" Exclaimed Kaminari as he tried to grab him with both hands. But Clay had another trick up his sleeve.

Leaning back to avoid Kaminari's attack, Clay sped forward with his back only a few inches off the ground as the clouds on his hands and feet supported him. Kaminari yelped in surprise as his feet were knocked out from under him by Clay speeding by. In the next instant, the electric quirk user face planted on the floor of the ring. "Always keep an eye on your surroundings," Said Clay as he popped back up to a standing position, "That's one of many lessons Uncle always taught me, especially considering how close you came to losing just now."

Kaminari quickly caught on to what Clay meant when he'd noticed he'd nearly gone out of the ring before quickly jumping back up. "You caught me off guard was all," Said Kaminari, "But your clouds won't be able to save you twice."

"We'll see," Said Clay as he resumed his fighting stance. Kaminari rushed him again, only this time he feinted to the right before going for his left side. Dodging around the blow, Clay latched his cloud onto his opponent's hand. Kaminari didn't let that slow him down, though as he swiped at him with his other hand, nearly managing to grab Clay's gym uniform. But he wasn't fast enough, and Clay managed to latch a second cloud onto his other hand.

"Hey what gives?" Questioned Kaminari as he waved his arms around, trying to get the clouds off of his hands.

"Just a little restraint," Replied Clay as he latched two more clouds onto Kaminari's feet. "Something to keep that annoying quirk of yours away from me."

"So what, you're just gonna hold me here?" Questioned the electric quirk user as he tried, in vain, to move from the spot he was in.

"Basically," Answered Clay, "If you can't move, you can't get close to me with your quirk. Though it is a bit of a boring approach, I'll admit, so for the sake of the audience gathered here." Using his quirk to generate more clouds, Clay formed a large baseball bat and got into a stance for swinging. "I'll knock you out with a home run hit!" This put a good bit of fear on his opponent's face for a few moments as Clay began running forward. That is, until he saw him smirk.

"That would work," Said Kaminari as his body started generating a mass amount of electricity, "Except you forgot about one important thing." The heat from the electrical surge dispersed the clouds binding his limbs. "I do have one ranged attack, my 1.3 million volt, indiscriminate shock!" Clay tensed as several jolts of electricity leapt from Kaminari's body and sped towards him. The display was so bright that it was hard to make out what was going on for several moments.

"That got 'em, hehe," Said Kaminari, his brain now temporarily half-fried from overuse of his quirk.

"Funny," Said Clay as he came floating back down from the air, sitting on another cloud he'd made, "I was about to say the same thing."

"Huh, but watery cloud and lightning," blabbed Kaminari as he held his thumbs up.

"Basic science," Said Clay as he moved forward on his cloud, the large bat still formed in his hands. "Electricity is most effective on grounded targets, even if it's a massive discharge. So I just needed to get airborne. And now, so are you!" The cloud quirk user punctuated his final words by knocking his opponent right out of the ring with his cloud bat. "And of course, once you overcharged your quirk, that's it, complete stupidification."

"Kaminari is out of bounds!" declared Midnight, "The winner is Clay Cero!" The crowd cheered as Clay dispersed his quirk and walked out of the ring. A pair of medical robots fetched Kaminari, who was still in idiot mode, as they carried him off on a stretcher.

"And that, kids, is why you pay attention in science class," said Slade as he sat in the stands next to Midoriya and Uraraka. "Electricity naturally arcs towards the ground, meaning all he had to do was get high enough in the air to avoid Kaminari's attacks."

"He also goaded Kaminari into using his quirk at full power," Said Midoriya as he made some more notes in his book. "He knew that his clouds might conduct electricity, so he avoided Kaminari's moves while experimenting with his own quirk. In the end, he was able to use one of his quirks own strength's to exploit the weaknesses in his opponent's quirk."

"You know all I really did was fly up in the air a few feet," Said Clay, having flown up into the stands with his quirk before sittting down with the rest of class 1A. "I was lucky Kaminari was so easy to goad into using his full power. I might've been in trouble if he'd been smarter about it."

"Yeah, smarter has never really been his thing," Said Jirou, "But I thought it was entertaining to watch."

"Glad to hear you approve," Said Clay as he formed a hand giving a thumbs up with his clouds, "We do have to show off a bit in this competition."

"Speaking of showing off," Said Slade, "Get a load of who's up next." Clay looked down to the arena to see Iida walking in on one side, and his pink-haired opponent on the other.

"Oh boy," Said Clay as he rubbed the bridge of his nose, "I'm not sure we can call what's about to happen a match."

"Is Mei Hatsume really that strong?" Questioned Midoriya as he focused on the match more intently.

"Not so much strong, as eccentric," Explained Slade, "I'm sure you noticed when you teamed up with her. She's got a tendency to be a bit, over the top about things."

"You guys seem to know a lot about her," Tsuyu pointed out, "Have you met before?" Clay and Slade both gave a short couple of laughs to this question before answering.

"That's right, we never told anyone in class this story," Said Clay. "Let's see, where to begin. Ah yes, how we met the support course's star student, at least self-proclaimed, Mei Hatsume."

 **Slade and Clay have bested both vine and electricity so far, but the matches are far from over, and what, exactly, is their relationship with the eccentric support student Mei Hatsume. But first, it'd be best to answer a couple other questions, namely, about my upcoming Re:Zero story. For those of you who don't know, there's been a poll set up for the readers to submit OC ideas and vote on them at the end of two of my stories, this being one of them. And if you have other suggestions for a Re:Zero story beyond just OCs, feel free to suggest them. As for the poll itself, it will end next week, or whenever I'm able to post MHA Hailstorm Ch. 25. After that, the story writing shall begin for the OC with the most votes. I'll still take other ideas from that point on, but the OC will be set in stone after that. So send in your votes and ideas and stop by for the next chapter as Clay and Slade explain how they took a more, up front approach to get their costumes. 'Til next ti** me.


	25. The Hatsume Infomercial

**The Hatsume Infomercial**

The Support Course Workshop: Before the Start of the School Semester

'This looks like the place,' thought Clay as he and Slade walked towards the entrance to the support course's personal classroom. They'd been on their way to turn in the forms for their costumes, but the one who was supposed to accept the forms wasn't in at the moment. Fortunately, Uncle Aizawa was willing to allow them into the support course's workshop where they could turn the forms in directly to the ones who'd be making their costumes. "So Power Loader's the one in charge if I recall," Asked Slade as he pulled open the door to the workshop.

"Yep," Replied Clay, "He's easy to spot. A skinny guy in a big, yellow robot suit that looks like it's meant for construction. Also wears a big yellow helmet."

"He really took the 'loader' part of his name serious-BOOOOM!" Slade was interrupted by a loud crash as something came flying towards them. Or rather, someone.

"Wooo," Exclaimed Clay as he formed a cushion out of his clouds while Slade upped his density, just in case. A head of pink hair with a pair of goggles on them popped through the cloud as Clay realized the projectile he'd caught in his quirk was actually a person.

"Wow! That had way more power behind it than I expected!" Exclaimed the pink-haired girl with a huge smile on her face. "And what's this, another fabulous invention I'm caught up in?"

"It's my quirk actually," Corrected Clay as he dissolved the cloud, gently setting the still smiling girl down.

"And an interesting one at that," Said the girl as she examined some of the dispersing quirk, "You must tell me what's it's made of sometime."

"Better question," Said Slade, "Actually two questions. One, why were you flying through the air in the first place and two, is Power Loader back here?"

"Oh, one of my latest little babies," Exclaimed the girl, invading both of their personal spaces as she spoke. "A jetpack which will allow one to fly short distances. I thought I was at a minimum safe distance behind it for testing, but as you can see, behind it was not an ideal place."

"You also managed to knock over SEVERAL of my tools," Said another voice from within the workshop. "I told you before, properly secure any invention before testing it!"

"Whoops," Said the girl, "That would be Power Loader, time to get back to my babies!" As quickly as she came out of the room, the girl rushed right back in to examine the jetpack she'd just been talking about." Clay and Slade glanced at each other with a shrug as they both entered the workshop.

"Apologies for the mess," Said Power Loader who was, as Clay described, a skinny, pale man with a yellow helmet, which looked like a welding helmet, who was currently operating a large, yellow machine that reminded them both of a robot loader from a science fiction movie. "Hatsume gets carried away with her inventions sometimes. I do love her enthusiasm for inventing, but sometimes she forgets proper safety procedures in the heat of the moment. Anyway, how can I help you two?"

"Well I'm Slade Mason," Said Slade, taking the lead in the conversation, "And this is Clay Cero. We just came here to turn in our costume forms."

"So you're Aizawa's nephew," Said Power Loader as he turned away from his work for a moment to look at the two, soon-to-be students. "The cloud boy, and that must mean you're the guy with the density-alteration quirk."

"That's us," Answered Slade as they both held up their forms, "And we're hoping your department can come up with something clever to complement our quirks."

"You came to the right place," Replied Power Loader as he accepted their forms. "We'll look into your quirks and then we'll-." But the pro hero was cut off by the surprisingly quick entrance of his student.

"Why wait, you're both here now!" Exclaimed Hatsume as she began examining the two friends, as if taking their measurements. "Since neither of you dissolve into gases or liquids, we can stick with sturdy, protective material. Tell me, is there a particular issue you two often run into with your quirks."

"Well my form says I'll require protective eyewear for flying," Answered Clay, surprised at how quickly the support student switched from one project to another. "I can speed through the air on my clouds."

"I just need something that doesn't rip easy," Said Slade, "I can make my body denser but my clothes, not so much."

"I might have something like that already," Said Hatsume as she rushed to the back of the workshop.

"Just a heads up," Said Power Loader, "Not all of her 'babies' as she likes to call them are necessarily out of prototype." Clay was about to ask what he meant by that when Hatsume returned with a couple pieces of equipment.

"Here we are!" Sang Hatsume as she handed Clay a pair of hi-tech looking goggles and what appeared to be some kind of armor plating to Slade. "These goggles will not only protect your eyes from high airflow but they'll also provide you with all kinds of data on environmental conditions. As for the armor plating, it'll conform to your body by adjusting the dial." A look of unsureness passed between the two friends as they reluctantly tried on the gear.

Several small displays lit up on the inside of the goggles including temperature, wind speed, elevation, etc. "Try walking around a bit," Said Hatsume as she directed Clay to walk in a straight line. The cloud quirk user did as instructed, looking around as he did so. All seemed well at first, until he glanced at one of the bright work lights. Without warning, the goggles went dark, blocking out all of Clay's vision as he flinched in surprise.

"Oh crap, crap, crap," Exclaimed Clay as he stumbled backward into one of the work benches before recoiling and running into one of the support columns in the room. Slade and Power Loader cringed each time Clay ran into something while Hatsume watched in fascination, seeming to take note of adjustments that needed to be made. Finally, Clay hit his head on one of the low hanging work lights and fell to the floor. "OOOOwww," Groaned the cloud user as he finally thought to pull the goggles off of his head, "Was there some kind of reason that these things decided to suddenly blind me?"

"Ah yes, I installed a polarizing feature into them," Said Hatsume, "It's designed to get darker when it detects bright light. Although I've had a bit of trouble getting the sensitivity right."

"No kidding," Groaned Clay as he got up, rubbing his now throbbing head, "I'm a bit sensitive to light right now myself."

"Well as they say, trial and error," Said Hatsume as she turned to Slade, "Let's see if we can get one out of two at least." Slade looked to Clay for confirmation. His friend shook his head, indicating that he didn't really think it was a good idea. But Slade decided to take a chance anyway as he upped his density a bit and turned the dial on the armor plating he was wearing. As it turned out, the dial was a bit overly sensitive too as the armor plate squeezed itself around him.

"Okay, that kind of hurts," Said Slade as he tried to readjust the dial, "Uh, does this thing have a locking mechanism or something?"

"Oh yeah, I forgot," Said Hatsume as she put her fist in her open hand, "I haven't solved the problem with the dial. After it passes a certain tightness it gets stuck."

"Great," Said Slade, his voice a little strained from the armor pressing against his frame. "Any other little hiccups involved with this thing?"

"Well now that you mention it," Said Hatsume with a hand on her cheek, "I do seem to recall a little issue with overheating."

"Overhea-Oh, hot, hot, hot, HOT!" Exclaimed Slade as the temperature of the armor kept increasing.

"Hold on, I got it," Said Power Loader as he opened a small pouch on the armor and hit what must've been the emergency release. A sharp hissing noise could be heard as the armor went back to its original snugness before falling off of Slade. The device was still steaming a bit as its unfortunate wearer took a few deep breaths.

"Why does your armor plating have a grilling feature?" Questioned a now somewhat cooked Slade as he patted a few smoking parts of his clothing.

"It takes a lot of energy to run the circuitry in the armor," Explained Hatsume, "The power has to flow constantly to keep it from returning to its regular size, but once it's complete, the wearer can move around in even the tightest of spaces."

"I don't think one would be able to move as well if the armor is the tight space," Said Power Loader before turning back to the two friends. "Apologies, she loves to test out all her ideas, sometimes before she even runs them by me."

"And I've learned quite a bit just from these tests," Said Hatsume as she began tinkering with the two pieces of equipment. "When it comes to inventing, failure is just another lesson on how to do something better." Clay and Slade could only shake their heads at that statement. Power Loader took that moment to lead them out of the workshop.

"Don't worry about your costumes," Said Power Loader, "The support course takes great care when creating them."

"Just try to get a good look at them before they get sent out to us," Said Clay, "And don't worry too much about including electronic features." Slade couldn't agree more with that statement.

U.A. Sports Festival Stadium: Now

"Well, you're right about the eccentric part," Said Mina as Clay and Slade finished telling their little story.

"Yeah, but those were prototypes," Said Jirou, "A few of us have seen her finished inventions first hand, and they're something else."

"Uh, would that be one of them," Said Sato as he pointed towards the arena. But oddly enough, he wasn't pointing at Hatsume. "Did Iida get all of that gear from her?" Everyone else turned their attention back to the ring to see what their classmate was talking about. For some reason, Iida had donned a strange-looking pack with two poles sticking out of each side with what looked like some kind of exhaust tubes on them. Not only that, Iida also had a pair of hi-tech looking braces on his legs.

"Students of the hero course are not allowed to use gear unless it is absolutely required," Stated Midnight. "You also need to fill out all the proper forms."

"What, I was unaware of such a rule," Said a surprised Iida, "My classmate Aoyama was allowed to wear his belt, so I assumed donning this gear would be fine."

"Your classmate filled out all the proper forms," Replied Midnight sternly. Back in the stands, Aoyama couldn't help but point at his own belt with a smug expression on his face.

"It seems kinda sad that the class president didn't know about that rule," Clay whispered to Midoriya.

"My apologies mam," Said Iida with a bow, "My heart was simply moved by the sportsmanship of my opponent. Despite the two of us being from different class courses, she wished for this match to be as even as possible. So to insure a fair fight, she gave me the chance to use this equipment. Out of respect for her integrity, I'd like to wear this gear!"

Midnight hesitated for a second before replying, well, quite happily. "Oh I just love youthful vigor!" She exclaimed with an erotic look on her face before becoming serious again. "Very well, I shall allow it." 'Really,' seemed to be the question on everyone's mind as the crowd cheered for the match to start.

"I'm getting a lot of mixed messages from our teacher down there," Said Slade, "What was the selection process they used for judges again?" Everyone else shrugged as Midoriya looked through his notebook to the page where he'd started taking notes on Hatsume.

"This is weird," Midoriya thought aloud, "Hatsume wouldn't normally just give out her inventions to someone she was about to fight, would she."

"Not without an ulterior motive," Clay answered Midoriya's thoughts on the matter, "at least not the Hatsume that Slade and I know."

"Well now that we're all on the same page, let the match begin!" Declared Present Mike over the loud speaker. Iida immediately broke into a run as Hatsume adjusted what looked like a mike on her goggles.

"Are you enjoying how fast that gear's making you?!" Exclaimed Hatsume. 'Of course,' thought Clay as the pink-haired girl began explaining how the braces on Iida's legs worked. 'She's got speakers with her gear.' Hatsume then used a type of hydraulic stilt which moved her to the side while tripping Iida, who was then righted by the back pack he was wearing. Turned out it was an auto balance system which keeps the wearer from falling on accident, something that the inventing girl explained as well. Either way, it was getting embarrassing for Iida really fast.

"I'm out," Said Clay as he stood up, drawing a few inquisitive looks from his classmates.

"Aren't you gonna watch Iida's match," Questioned Mina as Clay moved out to the stairs.

"Hatsume's turned this whole thing into a #$ $%ing commercial," Clay pointed out, "So I think I'm gonna grab something at the stands. Anyone wanna come along?" Some of his classmates thought it over as Iida was tripped yet again by the hydraulic stilts.

"I'm up next anyway," Said Mina, "So I may as well start heading for the locker rooms."

"And I'll be going shortly after that," Stated Momo, "I'll need time to prepare mentally."

"If Momo's going, I may as well go too," Said Jirou as she also stood up to follow Clay.

"And you Slade?" Questioned Clay, kinda surprised that it was a number of the girls that were following after him.

"Well," Slade said until Iida got caught in a net gun that Hatsume had pulled out. "Yeah, this is getting painful to watch."

"That settles it then," Said Clay with a wave to the rest of his friends, "We'll all be back in a bit." The five of them quickly descended the stairs and entered the stadium after that, happy that the sound of obvious advertising was blocked out inside. Fortunately, the line at the concession stand was short due to the ongoing match and they were able to get some food and drinks fairly quickly.

"So, you two looking forward to your matches?" Questioned Slade as he ate some of the nachos he'd grabbed.

"I'm not too worried about mine," Said Mina as she popped a little ball of candy in her mouth, "I'm against Aoyama, and that guy's laser can only last a second at best. So all I've got to do is close the distance."

"Feel free to give him a couple of acid burns while you're at," Said Jirou before taking a sip of her drink, "I think all of us could do with a little less of his, frenchiness, today."

"I'll give him a good knockout for you Jirou," Smiled Mina as she held up a peace sign.

"What about you Momo," Asked Clay in between sips of his own especially large beverage? "You're up against Tokoyami. His dark shadow quirk is no joke given its range of capabilities."

"Well," Momo tried to explain as she scarfed down a rather large amount of food, "I can make defensive equipment relatively easily. Using that, I can buy myself some time to make a few offensive tools as well."

"So naturally you're eating at a faster rate isn't because you're nervous," Asked Slade, who'd noticed her shaking slightly as well.

"It's just one problem I can't figure out," Said Momo, "Tokoyami can call on dark shadow in an instant. So I've been racking my brain for something simple that'll help me, but you helped me train with my quirk so you know it's not as simple as 'make a staff.' I have to think about the composition of what I'm making and if the material's too weak, it'll snap easily and then it'll take even more time for me to make something." Momo continued nervously going over one scenario after another, leaving everyone else to sigh a bit.

"Guess she really is nervous," Observed Clay as he finished up his beverage.

"Looking back on it, there is one reason I'm glad to not be in the finals," Said Jirou, "I can skip out on being a nervous wreck. Come to think of it, how are you holding up?" Clay let out a long sigh before answering as he tried to think how best to phrase his response.

"Honestly Jirou," Clay started, "There are only a few people here that I'm worried about going up against. But I'm not gonna know who they are until right before my match. 'Til that happens, I'm just trying not to think about it."

"How's that working out for you?" Questioned Jirou as they turned to head back towards the stands.

"Not near as well as I'd like," Clay answered. As they returned to the stands, Hatsume had finally finished showing off her inventions, and surprisingly leapt out of the ring, making Iida the flustered winner of the match. Clay checked the bracket one more time as the next match started. 'Not much longer now,' he thought, 'Until it's finally time for my next match.'

 **And so ends another chapter in this tournament arc. For those who are waiting patiently, don't worry, I'll be picking things up a bit in the next chapter. On another important note, we have the results for the Re:Zero poll: The Crusader shall be replacing Subaru with the power of Return From Death. Once again, thank you all for your votes and know that I'll be getting to work on chapter one very soon. With any luck, and with the help of you, my fellow readers, it'll turn into an entertaining story. So get ready for the next chapter of Hailstorm as Clay and Slade prepare to face their next opponents. And be ready as a valiant knight finds himself enthralled in the world of magic, witches, and monsters known as Re:Zero. 'Til next time.**


	26. The Pleasantries End

**The Pleasantries End**

U.A. Stadium

The next few matches proceeded rather quickly. Mina managed to take advantage of her superior agility against Aoyama in their match to close the distance. All she had to do after that was melt her opponent's belt when she got in range with her acid and then deliver a swift uppercut, ending the match. "She just knocked you the $ $ out!" Cheered Clay at the end of the match.

The next match, Momo vs Tokoyami, was over just as quickly as the first, but was much less enjoyable for Slade. Thanks to Tokoyami being able to call on dark shadow instantaneously, Momo had no time to form anything other than a shield to defend herself. But Tokoyami was relentless and managed to push the creation quirk user out of the ring without her even realizing until it was too late. "I'll be back," Slade had said as Momo walked off the field, obviously going to make sure his good friend was okay.

The match after that was Kirishima against Tetsu Tetsu, both of whom got practically the same introduction. Unlike the two matches proceeding it, this match lasted several minutes. Thanks to the two of them having basically the same type of hardening quirk, it all came down to which one could take more punishment. "Think you could handle that amount of punishment," Questioned Clay as they watched the two students continue to slug it out.

"Their weight doesn't change quite as much as mine can," answered Slade as he and Momo sat down, "So they may be able to hit hard. But if they can't muster up enough force to move me, then its game over for them. So yeah, I guess I could take it." As he finished his explanation, Kirishima and Tetsu Tetsu clashed with two powerful blows, knocking them both down onto the concrete floor of the ring. Midnight walked over to examine them, noting how exhausted each one was before making her declaration. "This match is a draw!" Announced Midnight, before signaling the medical robots to carry them away on stretchers.

"Wow, double knockout," said Clay with a whistle, "They're not only similar in quirk and fighting style, they even have the same amount of endurance in a fight. It's gonna be hard for them to find a tie breaker, aye Uraraka-?" But as he turned to look, he noticed that the gravity quirk girl was gone, and so was Midoriya as well. "Oh that's right I forgot, she's up next."

"I'll go check and see how she's doing," Said Iida as he also got up and left. Clay and Slade gave a parting wave to their glasses wearing friend as he proceeded to the student locker rooms. Shortly after that, though, their expressions turned somewhat angry.

"This is not gonna be a fun match to watch," Said Clay as he crossed his arms with a grimace on his face.

"Do you think Bakugou is likely to hold back against someone like Uraraka," asked Momo.

"No, he won't," Said Slade with an equally foul grimace on his face, "A person like Bakugou only cares about one thing, being better than everyone else."

"Or at least acting like he's better than everyone else," Added Clay, "His natural skills have been his only saving grace so far when it comes to staying in U.A., at least in my opinion." Slade nodded his head in agreement while Momo seemed to get lost in thought at this answer. The conversation from that point on was sparse as Midoriya and Iida returned to their seats. Shortly after that, the eighth and final match of the first round began, Uraraka against Bakugou.

From the start it was brutal. Uraraka charged in, attempting to tag Bakugou with her quirk. But Bakugou blasted her away with his explosion quirk. Uraraka wouldn't give up easily, though and charged again and again and was repelled each time by another explosion. A number of the 1A students couldn't even bare to watch the match because of how one-sided it was becoming.

Slade wore a frustrated frown on his face, often averting his eyes whenever their gravity manipulating friend took a hit. As for Clay, he kept an impassive face, hiding his emotions like his Uncle taught him too. Though if one looked closely enough, they'd notice how tight of a grip he had on himself as he sat with his arms crossed. "That's strange," Slade said suddenly as he nudged Clay, "Take a look at that."

Clay looked where his friend was indicating, finally noticing the same thing. There were no debris being blasted outside of the ring. It was hard to tell from all the smoke caused by Bakugou's explosions, but some of it actually seemed to be floating up. Just as he put two and two together, the crowd started yelling a chorus of 'boos' and jeers at the stadium, namely at Bakugou. It was no wonder really, given how Bakugou was continually blasting Uraraka back over and over again without any form of hesitation.

Even Present Mike agreed, that is until Aizawa sensei's voice came over the mike. "I demand to know who started this commotion!" Said Clay's uncle over the loudspeakers. "If you're a pro hero making this racket, then you should hang up your cape now and find a different career!" This quieted the crowd down a fair bit as the U.A. teacher continued.

"Did it not occur to any of you that Bakugou is fighting fiercely not because he's toying with his opponent but because he's actually taking her seriously?" He knows full well she deserved to make it to this point!" Clay simply rubbed his forehead at his Uncle's statement.

"Sensei seems to be in a bad mood for some reason," Observed Slade.

"He's just being harsh as always," Replied Clay, "He forgets sometimes that not everyone sees things the way he does. It's only natural the crowd would get upset at watching an innocent looking girl like Uraraka get thrashed about by a bully like Bakugou, they don't personally know how strong she really is. But that's not the main reason he's getting on to the crowd." Clay directed his gaze upward, with the rest of class 1A eventually following suit. "He's most upset that supposed pros didn't notice that."

High above the ring was a floating mass of all the debris which had been blasted off of the ring during the match. Uraraka had been using her quirk to keep them there while also keeping Bakugou's attention on her by attacking relentlessly. Somehow, even a number of pros had missed the floating debris hanging above the ring, save of course for Aizawa and a few other onlookers. But now the field had become dense enough to be used as a weapon, and with a quick release of her quirk, Uraraka brought down a hail of stone on her opponent.

It was a tense moment as the gravity quirk user rushed forward while a mass of rubble fell towards her opponent, the idea being to strike at an opening created by the debris. It was a good plan, and one that Clay had heard even Midoriya hadn't thought of. And it would've worked if her opponent had been someone besides Bakugou. The explosion quirk user kept his cool as he raised his left arm and fired off the biggest explosion he'd ever used, blasting away all of the falling debris and even sending Uraraka flying backwards. The air pressure from the blast created a massive gust which could be felt throughout the audience, and almost managed to blow Mineta away if not for Shoji holding on to him.

As the smoke cleared on the arena, Bakugou was still standing with hardly a scratch on him. For a moment, Clay say the explosion quirk user holding his left arm where he'd produced the explosion from, but that was the only damage he'd received. As for Uraraka, she tried charging one last time, only to collapse onto the ground from exhaustion. Midnight called the match shortly after that, with Bakugou as the winner. The crowd wasn't cheering much at the outcome of this match as Slade and Midoriya got up to leave, because the next match after the tie breaker was Slade's.

U.A. Stadium Locker Rooms

Slade and Midoriya kept relatively quiet as they walked down the hallway, neither one of them really feeling like striking up a conversation. Both of them were so lost in thought that they almost didn't notice the blond menace walking up the stairs. "What the $% are you two doing here?!" Questioned Bakugou in his usual angry manner.

"Oh uh hey Kacchan," Said Midoriya nervously, "You know the two of us were just, well-."

"This stadium hallway is open to all competitors, staff, and VIPs," Snapped Slade, cutting off Midoriya in the process of answering Bakugou, "We don't need your approval to be anywhere around this stadium. And if you must know why we're here, my second match is coming up and as for Midoriya that should be $ $ing obvious, so if you'll excuse us." Slade began walking again, directing his gaze forward. Midoriya nervously followed him after another second.

"It was you who gave her that idea, wasn't it Deku," Said Bakugou as he stepped to the top of the stairs. "That annoying, desperate strategy is something only you could come up with. If the two of us end up-."

"You've got it wrong," Said Midoriya, all the nervousness suddenly going out of his voice as he turned back to Bakugou. "Uraraka came up with that plan on her own. I had no idea she'd thought of a maneuver like that. So if it turned out to be tougher than you expected, than it was all because of Uraraka and not me." Bakugou grit his teeth at that answer as Midoriya and Slade walked off. After another minute, they found Uraraka in the competitor's waiting room.

"Well I guess I lost," Said Uraraka, surprisingly happily as she rubbed the back of her head while sitting at one of the tables provided in the room. "That's too bad, but I guess that's what happens when you get carried away." Slade and Midoriya were both a little taken aback by their friend's surprisingly happy mood.

"But I thought you were hurt," Said Midoriya, clearly confused at what was going on.

"Oh that," Said Uraraka as she pointed to one of the small bandages on her face, "I already saw recovery girl and she took care of the worst of it. Though she had to avoid draining too much of my stamina so I've still got some bruises and scratches."

"But otherwise okay I see," said Slade as the last of his worry faded away, though much of his anger still remained.

"Yeah but I got so close," Said Uraraka, in a surprisingly cute form of frustration, "But I never knew that Bakugou was so freakin' powerful. That means I've got so much more training to do before becoming an actual hero."

"Are you sure you're doing alright?" Questioned Midoriya, more than a little surprised by how well Uraraka was taking her loss.

"Considering who I went up against, I'm doing great," Answered Uraraka as her phone started ringing. "Losing just means I have to work harder from this point on. You've always gotta look at what's ahead." Slade was about to say something when the sound of a cheering Present Mike let them know that the tie breaker between Kirishima and Tetsu Tetsu was over, with Kirishima as the winner.

"And that's my cue," Said Slade as he went to head out the door, "I'll try not to break Iida's glasses."

"Oh, good luck out there Slade," Said Uraraka with a wave, "Try not to get knocked around yourself."

"Uh yeah," Said Midoriya, feeling kind of weird that he was wishing his friends good luck at beating each other up. "Good luck in your match."

"It'll be a battle of momentum, that's all," Said Slade as he headed out the door. "It just comes down to whose got more and if it'll be enough." Midoriya simply nodded at that statement as Uraraka answered her phone. The green-haired student exited the room shortly after that, giving his friend the privacy she needed to talk to her parents.

Back out in the arena, the crowd was cheering once more as Present Mike introduced both Slade and Iida. "I just want you to know Slade," Said Iida as he adjusted his glasses, "This is nothing personal, but I won't be holding back." Slade responded by cracking his neck a little before speaking.

"I'd be disappointed if you did," responded Slade with a smirk, "So just try to move me." A tense moment passed as Present Mike yelled out for the match to begin. Iida wasted no time as he jetted forward with the engines in his legs. It was almost faster than Slade could react, almost.

Iida slammed his leg into the side of Slade's neck, the force causing him to nearly double over. But he wasn't able to withdraw his leg quickly enough and the density quirk user grabbed a hold of his outstretched limb and spun him around. Reacting quickly, Iida slammed his other leg into Slade's hand, forcing him to let go as he rolled several feet away before righting himself. Slade stood back up to his full height as he stared down his opponent.

"I've always wanted to say this to you Iida," Said Slade as a smirk appeared on his face, "You'll have to be faster than that."

 **The Semifinals have finally begun, and the matches grow tenser and more painful with each round. How much longer can Slade and Clay last? On a more important note, I'd like to apologize for the lateness of this chapter as life has been moving me around a lot over the last several days. So thank you all for your patience and understanding, and as always I encourage my readers to leave reviews and critiques to help make this story better. Be sure to stop in next time as the weight of the competition dawns on Slade and Clay while they fight some of their good friends for a spot at the top. 'Til next time.**


	27. Down To The Final Six

**Down To the Final Six**

U. A. Stadium

The match had taken an interesting turn. Iida's initial attack, though fast, hadn't packed enough force or speed to take out Slade before he raised his density. But now Slade was on the attack, lowering his density to move quickly but keeping enough weight to still strike hard. Iida had been dodging and circling around Slade, attempting to counterattack with his signature kicking maneuver. 'His maneuverability is more amazing up close than I realized,' thought Iida as he dodged a sweeping kick, 'and judging by the fact that he's not giving me a moment to catch my breath, he must be trying to keep me from using my recipro-burst.'

As if to confirm his suspicions, the moment Iida took a running position, Slade charged forward with a right cross aimed at his face. Iida rolled to the side then leapt back as Slade led his attack into a spinning back kick. 'Alright, try this,' Iida thought as he threw a kick of his own. Slade countered with the opposite leg with increased density, causing the air to ring out with the sound of the impact.

Both fighters jumped back a few feet as Slade shook his leg a little. Iida's own leg was shaking from the impact as he felt a bit of a stinging sensation. 'He really has gotten faster at changing his density,' thought Iida, 'If I'm gonna catch him off guard it's gonna have to be right before he attempts an attack and I've only got one way that'll allow me to attack quickly enough.' As he thought this, his opponent seemingly decided their reprieve was over as he ran forward again, his density lowered to allow him to move more quickly.

Iida ran forward as well, a plan forming in his mind. It was simple, but if it worked he'd create an opening. As they were about to clash, Iida feigned a kick, prompting Slade to slowdown and allowing Iida an opening to slide forward and knock his feet out from under him. The engine quirk user then followed up with a back kick which caught Slade in the stomach and sent him flying back a few feet, which turned out to be incredibly close to the edge of the ring. 'Yes,' thought Iida as he charged up his engines for recipro-burst, 'now for a proper finishing blow!'

With a blast of blue flames from the engines in his legs, Iida raced forward with a ferocious roundhouse aimed at Slade's chest. As the blow connected, Iida saw Slade's face contort into something he'd rarely seen on his classmate's face, actual worry. It was an expression that lasted only a heartbeat as the density quirk user suddenly smirked. At the point of contact, Iida suddenly didn't feel anything as his foot went right through Slade's body. 'No, I forgot about that ability!' Iida realized too late as his momentum carried him through his opponent, and outside of the ring.

"And Iida is out of bounds," Declared Midnight as she pointed at Slade, "Slade is the winner!" The crowd cheered as said density user hopped out of the ring while Iida clenched his fist in frustration. 'I'm sorry brother,' he thought, 'I got careless at the end.'

"Don't feel too bad," Said Slade as he pointed to a foot mark on his chest, "One second sooner and the momentum of your strike would've knocked me out of the ring faster than I could've raised my density. To be honest that last move of lowering my density even more to intangible was a pretty desperate gamble."

"And here I thought I could use my own knowledge of physics to defeat you," Said Iida. "But taking risks and gambles is part of being a hero. I just wasn't fast enough this time."

"Well if it helps, I've got a huge bruise from your leg," said Slade as he began sauntering off, "And I think I need to sit down so I can breathe a little easier." Iida simply shook his head as the two of them returned to their seats.

The next match was Clay's and it was not going to be like the last match, considering his opponent. 'It was actually kind of fun knocking around Kaminari,' thought Clay, 'but I'd really hoped to avoid going up against her.' At the opposite end of the arena stood his pink-skinned opponent, Mina. "Don't hold back on me now Clay," Said Mina with a hand on her hip, "I know you've got this whole nice guy thing going on, especially in comparison to your Uncle, but I'll melt you if you don't take me seriously." The cloud user let out a sigh as he assumed his usual combat stance.

"Alright," Said Clay, "Just promise me that whatever the outcome, you won't let it get you down for the rest of the day."

"Then I guess I'd better win," said Mina with a smirk as Present Mike signaled for the match to begin. Both competitors generated their respected quirks as Mina opened by flinging acid at Clay. The cloud user shot out another cloud and used it to swipe away the large globs, causing the concrete to sizzle where they landed. While he was temporarily distracted, Mina quickly generated acid underneath her feet, allowing her to skate around at a surprising speed.

But her distraction didn't last quite as long as she would've liked as Clay sent out a couple of basketball-sized clouds her way. Using her natural athleticism, Mina ducked and leapt over one cloud then the other as she flung back some of her own acid. Clay reacted by forming a large cloud shield on his arm which he used to block the acid while directing his first two clouds back at his opponent. The acid user continued to use her quirk to skate around, jumping and sidestepping Clay's cloud orbs while throwing acid at the user himself.

Clay continued to block the acid with the cloud shield on his arm, but the more acid that hit it, the more it evaporated. 'I could make this a battle of quirk endurance,' thought Clay as he began moving away from Mina to avoid more acid being thrown at him, 'but a battle of mobility is more my style.' As the last of his cloud shield evaporated, he formed more clouds at the base of his feet and on his hands, allowing him to skate around the ring like Mina. "Oh crap," she said out loud as her opponent began speeding around and came in for an attack on her left side.

The pink girl ducked to the side, hitting the ground as she dodged while throwing a handful of acid at Clay. He managed to react in time, however, as he blocked the attack with one of his cloud gauntlets, though this cost him most of the cloud itself in the process. Mina backed up and threw more acid his way, but Clay shot into the air as he directed his cloud orbs to fly at his opponent from behind. The surprised girl managed to duck the first cloud, but wasn't able to fully jump over the second one as it morphed into a hand which grabbed onto her ankle.

"Hey what gives?!" Exclaimed Mina as Clay used the cloud to drag her through the air. The pink-skinned girl wasn't through yet, however, as she generated some acid on her ankle to dissolve the cloud. With her acrobatic skill, she managed to land on her feet, but her moment of distraction was all Clay needed. Gathering his remaining clouds together, Clay sent a wall of his quirk at his opponent. Mina panicked then as she threw what acid she could at the wall before it slammed into her. When it hit, it was like she'd just been assaulted by a wall of pillows as it pushed her out of the ring.

"Ow!" Mina said as she fell on the ground, "Man I was this close to making a hole in that thing too."

"Ashido is out of bounds," declared Midnight, "Clay Cero is the winner." The crowd cheered as a look of disappointment remained on Mina's face.

"Sorry about all that," said Clay as he offered a hand to his friend. "If it'll make you feel better, you can make melt my shoes later or something like that."

"I appreciate the thought," Said Mina as she let Clay help her up, "But I'll be okay. I'm just disappointed I couldn't push you to using one of your super scary moves. Better luck next time I guess." Mina walked off without another word after that as Clay sighed. 'I can't wait for this competition to be over,' he thought, 'I hate having to go against my friends.' It didn't take long for him to return to the stands as the next match was about to start.

"So," Said Slade as they watched the next two competitors walk out, "be honest, what do you think his chances are?" Clay didn't answer at first because, truthfully speaking, it wasn't an easy match to call, and he'd tried not to think about it. The next match was Midoriya against the half-cold/half-hot student, Todoroki.

"It's hard to say," Clay finally answered, "Given how much force Midoriya can produce with just a finger, he should theoretically be able to destroy any ice formation Todoroki can create. But he's got a very limited number of shots, given the amount of damage his quirk does to him, so in the end it comes down to Midoriya managing to get around Todorki's ice and landing a decisive blow. Of course, this all assumes Todoroki doesn't resort to his fire."

"As far as I know, he won't," Said Slade, causing Clay to turn and raise an eyebrow. "Todoroki's issues with his father, well while you were at your match, Midoriya and I were discussing it. Apparently it's so bad that he refuses to use his fire because it's his father's quirk as opposed to the ice which belongs to his mother."

"Hmmm," Clay thought aloud, "Maybe that's the lucky break Midoriya will need to win this match."

"We can only hope," Said Slade. The moment the match began, it was a battle of absolute powerhouses. Todoroki attacked with a few barrages of large ice walls which were almost immediately destroyed by a blast from Midoriya flicking his finger at one hundred percent power. With each attack, a blast of air and noise filled the stadium, creating a temporary pressure which could be felt in the stands. At one point, Todoroki charged in, sending out a wave of ice which managed to catch Izuku's foot.

The green-haired boy countered by using his whole fist on his left hand, busting all of the ice except a small wall Todoroki created to keep himself in the ring. 'This is bad,' Clay realized, 'he just busted his whole other arm to stop that attack. All he's got left in good shape are his legs.' At least, that what he'd thought, until his friend did the almost unthinkable and used his already broken finger to blast apart more of Todoroki's ice. In yet another surprise, Izuku demanded that Todoroki use his fire quirk, or rather, he demanded that his opponent do his absolute best.

This only enraged the half-hot/half-cold boy as he rushed forward, but at a more sluggish pace. "You seeing what I'm seeing," Said Slade, "Todoroki's dragging the right side of his body a little. It seems a bit stiff actually."

"Stiff?" Questioned Clay. Midoriya had noticed this too as he launched himself forward, nailing Todoroki in the stomach with a low powered punch as soon as Todoroki had stepped with his slower right side. 'He's right,' thought Clay as he watched the two of them continuously trade low power ice and physical attacks. "You said Todoroki wasn't using his fire quirk in this match, right?"

"Yeah," Replied Slade, "Midoriya told me he's trying to win the tournament without it."

"You don't think he's refusing to use it even to keep his body temperature from changing?" Questioned Clay.

"It's possible," replied Slade as he rubbed his chin, "Historically speaking, ice users normally have a naturally high resistance to the cold. It only makes sense given how cold the air becomes around them."

"Yes but think back," Said Clay, "Todoroki's not all ice user, he's half fire user. He only ever used his left side to melt his ice. What if that's the way it works for his body too."

"That would mean right now he's lowering the ambient temperature of his body," Said Slade, "especially on the side he's using his ice. That would mess with his circulation while also causing him shivering and even pain."

"So he's got some weaknesses to his quirk after all," Said Clay, "Not that that's gonna make a lot of difference in this match if Midoriya keeps breakings his already broken bones." And it was a painful match to watch as Midoriya busted more of Todoroki's ice before getting a head butt in and even another punch. But even if he was only using low power now, the fact remained that his body was becoming more and more of a wreck with each use of his quirk. It was possible he wouldn't be in any shape to fight at all after this match, but their friend continued to fight on, demanding that Todoroki give his all. Then, Izuku yelled that Todoroki's quirk was his and not his father's. That was the beginning of the moment that would put all other moments in the sports festival to shame.

Todoroki finally ignited his left side, generating a mass of flame which evaporated the ice that had been forming on his right side. 'He's actually using his left side,' thought Clay, 'what did Midoriya say to 'em? What's worse, he just made this match even harder for himself!' Todoroki then generated a mass of ice from his right foot, creating an impressive sight as the two elements seemed to balance each other out. Midoriya powered up his own quirk as he focused his energy to his legs and right arm, all while amazingly wearing a smile on his face.

'This is really want you want then,' Clay thought as Todoroki launched a massive number of horizontal ice pillars, 'For the both of you to give it your all in this fight.' Izuku leapt over the attack, shooting across the newly formed ice like a rocket as Todoroki charged up both of his quirks, focusing a blindingly bright attack in his left hand. Cementoss attempted to intervene by raising a number of stone walls between the two, but it was nowhere near strong enough as the two competitors clashed one final time. The resulting blast created so much wind and dust that some of the smaller people in the audience were nearly blown away as the remains of the stone walls shot in all directions.

It was a couple of minutes before anyone was even able to make out the ring as the smoke cleared. Midnight had to pick herself off the ground, given that the platform she'd been standing on had been blown away by the blast. As she looked around, she noticed the positions of the two competitors. Against a wall of ice, was Todoroki with half of his shirt blown apart by his quirk. And on the opposite side of the ring was Midoriya, against a wall outside of the ring. "The winner," declared Midnight, "Is Shoto Todoroki!"

 **And the titanic match ends with Todoroki as the winner. But, the tournament isn't over quite yet as a handful of class 1A students remains. For those who are wondering, this just seemed like the best place to end the chapter, but don't worry, the next chapter will have plenty of action as well. And a thank you to all of my readers, commenters and reviewers who've kept up with this story, and please feel free to continue leaving reviews and critiques to help make this story better. Be sure to drop by next time as the fated match between clouds and density finally unfolds. 'Til next time**


	28. Cloud Weathers Stone

**Cloud Weathers Stone**

U.A. Sports Stadium

'I hope Izuku is gonna be okay,' thought Clay as he walked into the arena, 'Then again, one of us may be joining him in the hospital in just a few minutes.' The match itself had to be delayed due to all of the damage caused by Midoriya and Todoroki's match. Of course, even with an impending match coming up, Clay and Slade still went to try and visit Midoriya at Recovery Girl's office with the rest of the class. 'That blond guy that was there with them,' he thought, 'I've seen him before.'

It had been the same scrawny guy from the USJ they'd caught a glimpse of when All Might suddenly disappeared. Clay had had his suspicions that the guy was running around U.A., but he'd only ever caught glimpses of him. Recovery Girl had rushed them all out of the room before he could question him, though, saying Midoriya needed surgery and was in no shape for visitors. Of course, that was a problem for another time, especially given who he was now facing. Out of everyone in class 1A, there were only four people he actually feared facing, and this one knew his moves inside and out.

It was a strange feeling to be honest, standing across from his friend, ready to duke it out. "And welcome to the next match of the finals!" declared Present Mike over the intercom, "This one is an especially interesting match. We've seen these two dish out devastating combo moves, but how will they fare now that they're going against each other?"

'That's a question I'd never thought of trying to answer,' Slade thought to himself as Present Mike continued. "In this corner, the cloud-wielding warrior Clay Cero! And his opponent, the density shifting demo-man, Slade Mason!" The crowd cheered equally loud for both of them, but neither really noticed. Both students had shifted their focus to a level that they hadn't truly used since the USJ incident. Their muscles were tense as they each took their fighting stances, like wound up springs ready to launch at a moment's notice.

That moment came as Present Mike shouted out for the match to begin. With hardly a moment's hesitation, Clay conjured his cloud gauntlets on his hands and boots on his feet as Slade leapt through the air at low density. Clay quickly shot out a cannonball-sized projectile cloud at Slade, but his friend shifted his density and kicked through it, forcing the cloud user to jump to the side as the area he was just at got crushed by Slade's foot. Clay then formed a pair of batons out of his clouds, one of which he threw at the density shifter.

Slade kept his density high, causing the baton to bounce off of him and back into Clay's hand as he charged forward. The cloud wielder sidestepped around him, attempting to bat him in the head with his right baton. Slade instinctively blocked the strike with his arm before counterattacking with a right cross. Clay ducked around the blow and struck his opponent in the chest as he rounded on him with another punch. The two combatants traded blows like this, as well as a few kicks for a couple of minutes before Clay shifted his clouds to a staff.

"This match is a practical stalemate," Said Momo as class 1A watched the two friends move around the ring in a series of attacks and counterattacks, a few of which broke holes in the arena.

"You sure about that," Said Jirou, "Slade's density trick lets him take a beating as good as Kirishima. Heck I thought out of the two of them, you'd be routing for Slade over Clay."

"Well that's," Momo said, a tint of red coming to her face for a moment before she regained her composure. "It's not as cut and dry as all that. Yes, Slade can make himself extraordinarily tough, but surely you've noticed how much he slows down when he goes to high density."

"Well yeah," Said Jirou, "It's like one of his few weaknesses. But when you can't hardly be moved by anything, it makes direct attacks kind of a bad idea. All it would take is one good hit and the enemy's down."

"Well that's the thing," Said Momo, "Slade's body is heavy and slow at high density while Clay can fly around on his clouds. He's more mobile, even if Slade was at super low density. Add on to that the fact that Slade is more heavy than strong, which means he actually has to build momentum to cause major damage. He can do that at high density, but it takes a few moments for him to really get moving and by then Clay can easily move out of the way."

"So Clay can't hurt him and he can only hurt Clay if he gets a lucky shot at high density?" Questioned Jirou.

"Slade solved the initial problem of his mobility long ago by increasing the speed at which he can change his density. But there is a weakness to it," Explained Momo, "When Slade lowers his density to move at high speed, he's vulnerable until he raises it again. In that small window of time, one could strike him and deal a damaging blow."

"That's why Clay's keeping just out of arm's reach," Jirou realized, "He knows he can't win at long range if Slade just stays super dense. So he's risking taking a serious blow at medium to close range so he can strike during that short window of time."

"Slade knows it too," Said Momo, "So I think he's keeping himself at a small range of a few certain densities to decrease the amount of it takes him to shift. That way he can keep up with Clay while minimizing his vulnerability."

"So in the end this whole thing could come down to a lucky shot," Said Jirou with a sigh, "This is gonna be a long match."

'He knows how hard I can hit,' thought Clay as he parried another punch with his new staff weapon, 'so he's made himself dense enough to take my blows without getting too slow.' Clay tested this theory out by moving and striking Slade in the side, causing him to wince ever so slightly. 'But he'll need to adjust for every weapon that allows me to hit harder.' Knowing this, the cloud user continued dancing around his opponent, trying to hit him in whatever opening he could find.

Slade was able to block a majority of the hits, but Clay used his clouds to keep skating around to his unprotected side. On one such occasion, the density shifter increased his toughness even more, causing Clay to break his staff against his hide as Slade retaliated with a kick to his stomach. Reacting quickly, the cloud user reformed his broken weapon into a covering around his abdomen, allowing him to take the hit without getting the wind knocked out of him. Due to the small amount of padding he was able to form, however, the blow still hurt a good bit.

Clay managed to back away before his opponent could get another hit in, but Slade moved to close the gap between them. 'Time for a more direct approach,' he thought to himself as he formed a halberd weapon out of his clouds. Hovering both his cloud weapon and the clouds around his feet, Clay dove in low to the ground with a hit against the joint of his charging opponent's left leg, causing him to stumble a bit.

'He recovered quicker than I expected,' thought Slade as he managed to regain his footing, 'But then again his Uncle did train him well.' His friend circled around again, this time with a blow aimed at the joint of his right leg. Slade anticipated it this time, however, and raised his density even more, causing the blow to glance off of him. 'But sharpness doesn't do much better against big time density.' The student then turned and stepped towards his charging opponent, ready to meet the next blow head on.

But his foot never hit the ground. Instead, it landed on something a little softer, one of Clay's clouds. 'Oh crap,' thought Slade as he lost his balance, 'He launched a cloud while I was stumbling the first time.' Taking the opening, Clay aimed a blow at the area where his friend's shoulder met his neck, a nerve strike trick he learned from his Uncle. But just as he was about to land a blow, Slade suddenly shot up into the air.

'He jumped,' Clay realized as a shadow blotted out the sun above him. Clay just managed to raise his halberd in time to block a kick, but at the cost of his weapon as it split in half and sent him on his back. Slade landed a short moment later, his weight cracking the arena floor. The cloud user wasn't down long as he rolled back up with his clouds reforming around his hands. 'He lowered his density to jump up fast then raised it again to strike in midair,' Clay surmised.

"Come on Clay, quit playing around," Said Slade, sounding somewhat annoyed, "You and I both know each other's limitations enough to skip this 'feeling your opponent out' crap. I was hoping you'd attack way more aggressively, like humming stratus aggressive, because you know how much I can take." Clay sighed before answering.

"I know you can take a lot," Said Clay, "But some of my formations are a bit dangerous. If I hit you at a moment when you're not super dense-."

"Don't give me that," Said Slade as he crossed his arms, "You've seen all the matches so far. Whether we like it or not we gotta give it our all too, so quit it with this 'my attacks are dangerous' crap you got going on." Clay thought for a moment before reforming the clouds around his hands into a scarf and two shuriken floating next to him, while also shifting his cloud boots to form spikes and sharp wings on the ankles.

"I suppose when you put it that way, neither of us has an excuse," Said Clay as he resumed his fighting stance, "So let's start our main event." Slade smirked in agreement as he rushed forward at low density, quickly closing the gap between them. Clay responded by sending out his two shuriken at high speed, which Slade deflected at the cost of his speed by raising his density back to high. The cloud user rushed forward then, with a double kicked aimed at his opponent's legs.

Slade lowered his density and jumped, hoping to bring his feet down on the advancing attacker. But Clay wouldn't fall for the same trick twice as he sped underneath his opponent and used the scarf he'd formed to wrap around Slade and yank himself towards the density shifter. Slade raised his density just in time to keep the pointed boots from damaging him, but Clay managed to readjust in midair and yank him downwards. The increased weight from the density shifter cratered the arena tiles as Clay moved back and sent his two shuriken down into the smoke cloud.

He heard the sound of numerous impacts against the density shifter's hide, but stopped after a moment, recalling his clouds to him. 'That quirk's actually kind of annoying when you got to fight against it,' Clay thought. In the next instant, a shirtless Slade leapt out of the smoke, moving as fast as Aizawa practically. Clay just managed to dodge the punch aimed at his face before reacting with a kick at Slade's side. But his opponent raised his leg to block the blow before jumping back to avoid the shuriken coming at him.

Clay attempted to trip him up with his cloud scarf, but just as it wrapped around Slade's ankle, he shifted his density back to high and yanked him forward instead. Reacting quickly, he reformed his cloud scarf into spiked gloves. Slade blocked the blow easily enough with his upraised arms before lashing out with a fast kick of his own. Clay took the hit, but managed to direct one of his shuriken to cut across Slade's back, managing to actually cause some pain thanks to his lowered density. But this enraged the density shifter as he pushed forward, attempting to grab his opponent in a bear hug.

Clay reacted in time to create a cushion of clouds around him as Slade's arms wrapped around his form. Using his clouds at their densest wasn't enough, though, as Slade's weight began crushing the clouds inward. 'You wanna go with that method huh,' Clay thought as he redirected his remaining clouds around Slade's head, 'Let's see how you like it.' Slade let go in surprise as the cloud around his head compressed itself too tightly for him to breath.

"Not that you can hear me with that stuff squeezing around every part of your head," Said Clay, "But for the sake of the audience, I'll explain anyway. You can increase your density all you want, but in the end we all need to breath. But don't worry too much, you should pass out long before actually dying, though I don't feel all too good that I had to stoop to using this trick to win." Slade, of course, couldn't answer as he continued to struggle to pull the cloud off of his head. Then he just stopped for a moment.

'Strange, he shouldn't be down already,' thought Clay as he was about to release the pressure. But before he did, Slade's body went slightly see-through as he walked right out of the cloud with an annoyed expression on his face. "Not the most heroic move you've ever pulled," Said Slade as he returned to normal density and took a few deeps breaths, happy to have air again. "But then again, you forgot about my trump card it seems."

"It was one of the only guaranteed moves I had against you," Said Clay as he began gathering all of the clouds he had out into a single cluster, "Unless you count this next one." The cloud took on an appearance similar to a Venus fly trap as Clay concentrated as hard as he could on altering the composition of it.

"As if I'd let you pull another trick like that," Said Clay, rushing forward at high speed. 'He likely intends to try and suffocate me with a moving cloud following me so I can't phase out of it. But he won't be able to stop a high density charge coming right at him!' As he got close, he leapt forward, increasing his density to a point where he'd have a large impact. Time seemed to slow then as the cloud closed around him. But what happened next was not something either of them expected.

'Here goes,' thought Clay as he put as much concentration into the cloud composition as he could. The moment Slade was enveloped in the cloud, he unleashed a secret move he'd been trying to perfect since even before the USJ incident. "GRASPING THUNDER!" He couldn't help but yell as a massive surge of electricity flowed through the cloud. It lasted only a second as Slade came out the other side of the cloud, half-fried by the attack.

'Got him,' was all Clay had time to think as a problem he hadn't counted on occurred. Slade's momentum had managed to carry him through the air, and with Clay in a weakened state from the attack, he couldn't move out of the way fast enough. The cloud user gasped in pain as his friend rammed into his chest, creating a nasty crunching sound as he sent the both of them flying out of the ring. Clay managed to right himself enough that his super dense friend didn't land on top of him, but that was all he could do as they both impacted painfully against the ground.

It took several moments before Clay was able to breathe again, and even then it was in ragged, painful breaths. Despite that, he still managed to find his voice to say a few things about this predicament. "You jackass," coughed Clay, "I think, y-you broke my s-sternum."

"And you electrocuted me," replied Slade as he struggled to move, "Since when could you do that?"

"For all the g-good it did me," groaned Clay, "Hadn't planned to use it on you. But this whole festival's kinda been a pain."

"Are either of you still able to fight?" Questioned Midnight as she came to stand over the two of them.

"I'm half-fried and starting to lose consciousness," replied Slade as he stopped trying to move due to some of the burns on his body, "What do you think?"

"And I may be bleeding internally," Said Clay weakly as he pointed to his chest, "At the very least, something is broke in here, so yeah, not really feeling it anymore." With a final nod from the both of them, the two students fell unconscious.

"Neither combatant is able to continue," declared Midnight, "This match is a draw!"

 **And so ends the fated, and painful match between friends. For them the tournament is over, but not before the two of them discover a couple revelations about their friend. Hello again everyone, sorry if this seems a little late as life managed to keep me a little busy, and exhausted, this week. So a big thank you to everyone for being patient with me and as always feel free to comment and review and let me know what you like and what I can improve on. Stop by next time as Clay and Slade have a long overdue talk with the blond, skinny man. 'Til next time.**


	29. The Symbol's Secret

**The Symbol's Secret**

U.A. Stadium: Office of Recovery Girl

Clay's eyes fluttered open before he was seized with a small coughing fit. "Ah, you're awake I see," Said Recovery Girl as the old woman turned around. She was a surprisingly short woman with her grey hair done up in a bun with a pencil in it. She also wore a trademark doctor's coat with a pair of medical gloves and carried a cane that she used to help her get around. Her most striking feature, though, was visor she wore over her head. "Try not to get up too quickly, you took a pretty good shot to the sternum."

"How long have I been out?" Questioned Clay as he managed to readjust his position, albeit with a couple hisses of pain.

"About an hour," said a voice to Clay's left. Turning over on his side, the cloud user spied his shirtless friend Slade with a few bandages on his arms, stomach, and some patches on his head and neck.

"You doing okay over there shirtless wonder?" Questioned Clay as he took stock of his own condition. He was wearing his gym pants and shoes, but his over shirt had been removed and as he felt his stomach, he noticed some tight medical tape.

"The lady said one was on the way, but that was fifteen minutes ago," Replied Slade, "I may need to go get it myself."

"Neither of you are quite in shape to get up just yet," Said Recovery Girl as she pointed at the density shifter. "Mr. Mason, you've suffered numerous burns as well as bruises and cuts, not to mention your body is still experiencing a good bit of muscle pain from being electrocuted." The nurse then pointed her cane at Clay. "And you, Mr. Cero, I've managed to repair the main cracks in your sternum and halt any internal bleeding. But, you still have a hairline fracture in it, not to mention I need to make absolutely sure there's no further internal damage. On top of all of that, you're both too exhausted for me to use my quirk currently without risking overexerting your stamina. So for now, you'll both just have to stay put."

The two friends contemplated her words for a moment before Slade finally spoke. "How's Midoriya doing?" He asked.

"Fortunately for him and everyone else," Said Recovery Girl, "The surgery was a success, but his right hand will be scarred and crooked from now on. He can still use it just fine, but he'll damage himself far worse if he keeps overusing his quirk like that. He still has some injuries right now, but he's well enough to walk, so he went back to the stands to watch the rest of the matches."

"Whew, that's a relief," Said Clay as he relaxed visibly back onto the hospital bed, "That was one question that was messing with me the whole match."

"That reminds me," Said Slade, "You never answered my question. Since when can you call on the power of lightning?"

"It's a cheap imitation in comparison to the real power of lightning," Replied Clay. "After years of watching storms and working on my quirk, I asked myself one day, 'why can't I make thunder clouds?' So with some help from Uncle, I consulted a few quirk experts. Turns out, with a lot of concentration and a bit of time, I can alter the composition of my clouds to a state where they pick up electrostatic charges, like a real thundercloud."

"Then you rub the positive and negative charges together, building up electricity between them until you have enough power to discharge an attack. So that means you're actually moving the inside of that little Venus fly trap looking cloud you had going on." Said Slade, once again demonstrating his knowledge of physics. "But I got to ask, how well can you move when you're making all that happen with your quirk?"

"I can move, but nowhere near as strategically," Said Clay, "I've been working on that particular move before even the USJ attack. The problem I kept running into was that for it to work effectively, nearly all of my concentration has to go into using that move, and it takes time to build up a charge. So if I wind up having to resort to that move right now, I won't be able to generate more clouds to defend myself or even my standard mobility clouds."

"So that's why you didn't generate another cloud to stop me impacting against you," Slade thought aloud as he rubbed his chin, "I suppose it makes sense, that is a lot of multitasking going on there."

"This was the first time I ever used it in an actual fight," Said Clay, "I hadn't originally designed the move to use against you specifically, heck I had planned to tell you about it until the festival happened. It's supposed to be for taking down hard-skinned and liquid enemies, you know, the guys who might have an actual defense against my humming stratus formation."

"Well it makes me feel a bit better about myself," Said Slade as he put his hands behind his head. "All these years of watching you do your little tricks with your quirk, I was starting to wonder if I was falling behind. But to think I pushed you to use your last ace."

"You were worried you were falling behind," Said Clay with a surprised expression. "Most of my fancy tricks are useless once you reach a certain density. Sure I can fly around where you can't catch me, but to be honest one of the few weaknesses you have is you're not as resistant to high heat or electric-based attacks. Heck, I'm still surprised my attack worked at all." The two friends shared a quick laugh when the door to the nurse's office opened up.

"Oh good, you two are awake now." It was the scrawny blond man who'd been by Midoriya's side after his match against Todoroki. "Midoriya sent me down here to check on the both of you, said Recovery Girl wasn't letting anyone in until you regained consciousness."

"I was in the middle of medical procedure," Said Recovery Girl, "The Cero boy might've been bleeding internally. As for Mr. Mason, I needed to observe that he wasn't suffering any ill-effects from being electrocuted by a storm cloud."

"Well it seems they've both recovered quite well thanks to you," Said the man, "I'll go let Midoriya know. He and a few of your classmates are a bit concerned."

"Actually," Said Clay, "I was hoping to talk to you about something before you left."

"Oh," Said the man, "Well I guess I got a couple of minutes, what seems to be the issue?"

"What's your name?" Questioned Clay, "I've seen you around U.A., I'm certain of it."

"Oh, well," The man scratched his head a bit, "I suppose you could call me Toshinori Yagi if you-."

"No, not that name," Said Clay, cutting him off, "I want to know your hero name, or better yet why don't I hazard a guess. You look much smaller in person, All Might." Toshinori seemed a bit surprised at first before regaining his composure.

"That's a heck of a statement you're making there," he said, "I'm just one of U.A.'s staff members who happens to be good friends with Midoriya."

"It's amazing you've managed to fool everyone that long if that's the best excuse you can come up with," Said Clay. "Remember who my Uncle is. I've heard him mention every staff member of U.A. at least once and I never heard about a guy named Toshinori Yagi, and believe me Midoriya would've mentioned you to us as well, especially if he made friends with a new staff member. But it all makes a bit of sense if you put it all together."

Clay held up one finger as he began his explanation. "Midoriya has been quirkless for years but then suddenly develops the power he has now. Funny thing is, his body doesn't seem to be used to it, and what's more it seems a lot like yours. Add to that the fact that Midoriya seems to be on friendly terms with All Might, a.k.a you, all of which seemed to happen shortly before his entrance into U.A. academy. To top it all off, that suit you're wearing is easily several times too large for a scrawny guy like you but would fit the body of a large pro hero quite easily."

The blond man didn't quite seem to know what to say until Recovery Girl interjected. "You might as well tell them," She said, "If not he'll probably pester Aizawa about it and that man hardly gets any sleep on his own as it is." Toshinori sighed, clearly not wanting to go through with it.

"I suppose someone was bound to figure it out eventually," He said as his body suddenly shifted. His muscles expanded, causing him to grow seemingly several feet in height as his form suddenly towered over the both of them. His suit now fit him perfectly as the scrawny tired man was replaced by the massive, smiling symbol of peace. "You're quite perceptive young Clay!" Boomed All Might as he flashed his famous smile, "But I suppose I shouldn't expect anything less from a member of Aizawa's family!"

"Well that explains a lot," Said Slade, "Me and Clay had been wondering why Midoriya was so tight-lipped about his quirk. Which makes me assume he got it from you, how'd you do it exactly?"

"I'm afraid that sort of information is off-limits to the two of you at the moment," All Might said with a wag of his finger, "But know this, I've chosen Midoriya as my pupil because I've seen the potential he has. So I granted him my quirk and I plan to train him until one day he is able to take over as the number one hero!"

"That, and the fact that your time is limited, isn't it," Said Clay. All Might paused at that before he suddenly deflated back to his scrawny form.

"So, you've even managed to hear about that," He said with a sigh, "I need to have a serious talk with Aizawa about what he tells his family."

"Actually I just overheard him a couple times," Said Clay, "There were rumors going around the office which had later been confirmed by my Uncle. In no uncertain terms, it sounded like you were running out of time as a hero."

"Something like that," Said All Might as he lifted his shirt up to reveal a nasty, stitched up puncture wound in his side. "During a battle against the worst enemy I've ever faced, I was severely injured. Because of this injury, I was only able to perform hero work for a few hours a day before the strain became too much for me. Then, in my battle against that Nomu creature at the USJ, the strain of maintaining my form for so long against him shortened my time even more. Now, I'm doing good to maintain my form for even an hour."

"So that's why you passed your power on to Midoriya," Said Slade, "You can't carry on being the symbol of peace so you found someone who you believe embodies the ideals of a true hero. Of course, that's also why you had Midoriya keep this a secret, even from his closest friends."

"That's pretty much the long and short of it," All Might replied, "It would be a nearly untenable situation if the world learned that the symbol of peace was losing their power. Not only would crime go up around the world, but attacks on U.A. would increase drastically and it would be by more groups than just the League of Villains. In short, the world would be worse off. That's why I've taken young Midoriya under my wing, in hopes that one day he'll be able to replace me as the number one hero and the symbol of peace." The two students took a minute to absorb all of this information, and in so doing arrived at one conclusion.

"So," Said Clay, "I guess this is our secret to keep now as well. Gotta say, not looking forward to it. What about you Slade?"

"That's not even really a question," replied the density-shifter, "I'd rather not be responsible for putting my friends in danger because I was a blabbermouth. It's gonna suck, but it's what we gotta do." All Might let a small smile cross his face at the two student's declarations.

"Alright then," he said as he headed for the door, "I'm needed back in the staff room. I'll let Midoriya know that the two of you are doing just fine. And thank you both, for understanding the importance of the knowledge you now hold." With a final nod, All Might went to open the door, only for it to suddenly fling open as Mina, Jirou, Momo and a few of the other students came rushing in.

"Oh good you guys are awake," Said Mina with a sigh, "When Midoriya's friend didn't return right away we got a little worried."

"More than a little I think," Said All Might as he rubbed his nose where the door had hit him.

"Oh my gosh I'm so sorry," Exclaimed Midoriya, who had numerous bandages wrapped around his limbs and his arm in a cast. "I tried telling them to wait a bit longer but they wouldn't listen."

"It's fine," Said All Might, "happens to everyone. Anyway, like I just told your friends, I need to get back to the staff room, so just remember not to squeeze them too hard and they'll be alright." A statement which seemed to fall on deaf ears as Mina was busy giving Clay then Slade her usual friendly Ashido hugs, which in this case kind of hurt. 'Those two, it's a shame they couldn't have stuck with Midoriya longer in his childhood, the boy could've used more friends growing up.' With that, All Might exited the room.

The Camino Ward

The streets were bustling with activity, with several crowds forming around wherever there was a TV or other broadcasting device. As always, the U.A. sports festival was one of the most viewed events in the world. But one of the viewers wasn't watching the festival for the entertainment, no, he was watching for a few particular individuals. At one of the café's, sat a man with orange-ish brown hair and yellow eyes. He was adorned with a large, brown coat that went a bit past his waist as well as baggy, dark pants. But the most striking feature about the man was a black mark on the right side of his face, resembling black powder.

'So, those two wound up going on the hero path it seems,' he thought to himself with a slight smirk as he picked up his coffee with a gloved hand and took a sip. 'I guess escaping certain death once wasn't enough for them.' The man then pulled his drink away from him, noting with disapproval that it had already cooled. 'They may have gotten lucky with that USJ incident, but the league won't be as simplistic in its approach next time, that's a guarantee.' The man proceeded to stick his finger inside the cup, where he concentrated with hardly any effort.

For a split-second, a ball of plasma lit up the cup, instantly warming the contents. 'No, next time they'll be facing far worse odds.' With that thought in mind, the man finished his drink, tossed a small bit of cash on the table and left. As he did so, he took a quick look in his coat to insure something was secure. That something was an orange skull mask.

 **All Might's secret has been revealed to Clay and Slade, and now it's their burden to carry along with Midoriya. As the tournament draws to a close, old and new forces once again move against the hero school. Hello everyone, I hope you enjoyed the latest chapter, and do feel free to let me know if my science is way off on the lightning attack. And as always, feel free to leave comments and reviews to help make the story better. Stop in next time as the tournament's winner is crowned and the students of 1A prepare for their next challenge. 'Til next time.**


	30. To The Winner Goes the Headaches

**To The Winner Goes the Headaches**

U.A. Stadium: Final Round of the Sports Festival

"Are you really sure you two are okay to be up and walking around," Questioned Midoriya as they made their way to the stands.

"We should be asking you that," Said Clay, "Sure I got a recently repaired sternum, but you've got almost as many bandages as my uncle does right now."

"And only one good arm at the moment," commented Slade as they made it out to the stadium seats.

"It's nothing Recovery Girl can't fix, I just really wanted to see the other matches," replied Midoriya.

"I still hate that we missed the last two," Said Slade. Due to their being unconscious and Recovery Girl's insistence, Clay and Slade had missed both Tokoyami and Kirishima's matches against Bakugou and Todoroki. Despite that, they were only mildly surprised to learn the both of them had lost. Midoriya and the other students had filled them in on the fights, how Tokoyami's dark shadow couldn't stand up to Bakugou's explosions and Kirishima couldn't do much once he was frozen by Todoroki.

Now, as they sat down with the rest of their friends, it was time for the final match, Bakugou against Todoroki. "Oh hey guys," Said Ojiro as the three took their seats, slowly and carefully due to their injuries. "You made it just in time, the match is about to start."

"Who's the favorite to win on this one," Asked Clay as he tried, and failed to lean back without feeling another bit of pain.

"Well I mean I'd put my money on Todoroki," Said Sero, "I mean Bakugou's tough, but after seeing what Todoroki did with both his ice 'and' his fire, I gotta give it to him."

"You sure you're not just saying that because you got frozen in a miniature iceberg," Asked Kirishima.

"Oh come on, no one saw that coming!" Exclaimed Sero, "What the heck was I supposed to do against that?!"

"Good try," quipped Slade, which of course made Sero groan in frustration.

"Well If I had to pick someone, it'd be Bakugou," Said Kirishima, "A manly guy like that won't go down easy, not with the fighting spirit he's got."

"Are you sure you're not just saying that because you also got frozen by Todoroki," Clay pointed out.

"Well no," Kirishima said, rather quickly, "Sure I might still be freezing a bit, but that's not the big reason I think Bakugou's gonna win."

"That reminds me Kirishima," Said Tsuyu, "Mina wanted me to tell you something before she went off to get candy."

"Oh yeah, what's that?" Questioned the hardening quirk user.

"Good try," Tsuyu answered with her usual monotone voice. But the result was still spectacular as everyone else burst out laughing while Kirishima was left groaning loudly. Clay had to stop himself from laughing too much, due to the residual pain in his chest. Slade laughed til his sides hurt more.

All other conversation was cut short as the flames from the arena were lit once more. Present Mike announced the arrival of the final participants of the festival, Katsuki Bakugou against Shoto Todoroki. The rest of the crowd seemed to fall silent as a tense moment passed, then the match began.

Todoroki wasted no time in unleashing a massive wave of ice, burying a good part of the arena. But Bakugou managed to use multiple explosions to tunnel through the frozen rubble. Bakugou then flung himself across the arena, using his explosions to change direction to dodge Todoroki's next attack before grabbing him in midair and tossing him several feet using his momentum. Todoroki created an ice slide to stop his fall and redirect himself back towards Bakugou.

The explosion quirk user blasted himself towards Todoroki, but the dual quirk user maneuvered around him and managed to grab his arm with his left hand. But instead of using his flames, he just threw him a few feet away. 'That's odd,' thought Clay, 'he got all gung ho about using his left side in his match with Midoriya and he had a perfect opportunity to blast Bakugou at that range.' The blond-haired student apparently made this connection as well as he started yelling at Todoroki, demanding that he use his left side. But the bicolored student seemed unsure, nothing like how he'd been through most of the tournament.

"This match is over," Slade said suddenly attracting the attention of a few other students besides Clay, "Todoroki's heart isn't in this." Clay was inclined to agree, that was until Midoriya stood up and yelled.

"Don't give up Todoroki! You've got to do your best!" Midoriya yelled. This seemed to get a response from him as Todoroki finally ignited his left side. Bakugou answered by blasting himself into the air, then used his explosions to rapidly rotate in midair. He'd basically become a human missile. As they looked on, Clay saw a wall of ice at the last second before a massive explosion shook the arena, blowing away most of the other ice as well.

Clay and most of the audience near the front had to shield their faces from the massive wind kicked up by the blast as a large cloud of smoke engulfed the arena. It took nearly a full minute before anyone could make out what had happened. In the center of the ring, Bakugou was laying on his stomach with a dumbfounded look on his face, and laying on a pile of ice just outside the arena, was an unconscious Todoroki. But instead of a look of triumph forming on the explosion quirk user's face, he instead seemed to get even angrier, and a bit desperate.

Crossing the arena to the pile of ice, Bakugou was apparently demanding that Todoroki wake up, that he try harder. 'This prideful dick head,' thought Clay, 'He won't be happy unless Todoroki fights with the same drive he had against Midoriya. But I think winning the tournament is no longer Todoroki's number one priority.' As the crowd watched on, Bakugou's ravings were cut short as Midnight used the pink mist of her quirk to render him unconscious. Then, with a solemn expression on her face, the heroine declared Bakugou as the winner.

Despite the emotional scene which had just taken place, the crowd erupted in a massive cheer for the winner of the sports festival. "Well that was a letdown," Said Slade with a sigh, "I was hoping the match would last for at least a little over five minutes."

"Come on," Said Clay as he stood up, "That's the tournament so let's get this last pain in the neck over with."

"Right," Said Slade, "I don't know about anyone else but I'm ready to be home." This sentiment was shared by a couple of the other students as they filed out of their seats. But before anyone could leave, there was still the awards ceremony.

Like many awards ceremonies, this one had all kinds of flair to it, including fireworks and confetti raining down on the field where all the students who had participated where once again standing in block formation, divided by class. Numerous camera flashes and cheers accompanied this fanfare. And Clay, much like his Uncle, was not really a fan of any of it. Sure he recognized the need to celebrate every now and then and it was a way to give out awards. But it also took up a lot of time, was very noisy, crowded and in his opinion, rather tedious.

Though even Clay had to admit that the three rising platforms with smoke was a nice touch. He was also not prepared for the state Bakugou was in. Todoroki and Tokoyami were on the platforms on either side of Bakugou, looking calm, or in Todoroki's case a bit distracted. But Bakugou was chained to his platform with his hands encased in massive, iron cuffs and if Clay wasn't mistaken he had a metal muzzle on his mouth. Apparently, Bakugou had been thrashing around ever since he woke up, hence all the restraints. It was honestly the funniest damn thing Clay had seen the whole tournament.

"I don't see what he's so upset about," Said Slade, sarcastically, "He won. I mean sure Todoroki didn't use his fire side and there's probably loads of doubt about the outcome, but otherwise he won. He's now the somewhat undisputed champion of the sports festival." The rest of the class simply stared or shook their heads at Bakugou's enraged state.

As the awards got underway, Midnight mentioned that Tokoyami and Iida actually shared third place, but the engine quirk user had left for family reasons. 'Or a family emergency,' Clay couldn't help but think, based on what he'd heard from Midoriya. But that was something they'd have to worry about later as Midnight introduced, or rather botched the introduction, of the one presenting the medals, All Might. The number one hero's laugh was unmistakable as he leapt off the top of the stadium and landed next to Midnight, kicking up a small amount of dust from his landing.

'It's actually kind of weird,' Clay thought to himself as he watched All Might accept the medals and begin distributing them, 'Knowing that the massive symbol of peace actually spends a lot of his time as a scrawny man who occasionally spews blood. To be honest it makes him seem far less intimidating, which I suppose is why he needs it to stay a secret.' The cloud user glanced at Slade, noting the expression of, well Clay assumed he was deep in thought. More than likely the density shifter was thinking the same thing he was.

As they watched, All Might distributed the medals in order from lowest to highest. Tokoyami accepted his third place medal with his usual calm, collected demeanor while Todoroki accepted his with an expression Clay had rarely seen on his face. He seemed to be pondering something, likely whatever it was he'd decided it was more important than winning a tournament. As for Bakugou, well there was no mystery about what he was thinking in the slightest.

The explosion user began yelling almost as soon as All Might removed the muzzle from his mouth. As expected, he wouldn't accept the medal given the fact that he won against a distracted opponent. Nevertheless, All Might still had to award the medal and wound up hanging it between Bakugou's teeth instead. Clay had never thought he'd be so happy to see the explosion quirk user win something, he looked absolutely comical with a medal hanging out of his mouth.

All Might then turned to the rest of the classes. "Remember, anyone of you could've won and been standing on this podium," he said, "So think about what you've learned here today. You've all taken another step to becoming heroes. I believe this upcoming generation of heroes will be one of our most promising yet. So it seems like there's only one thing left to say and I want to hear everyone shout it out loud."

The number one hero pointed his finger in the air and loudly declared, what Clay believed to be 'Good work everyone!' To be honest it was kind of lost in the chorus of everyone else yelling Plus Ultra. The crowd of course voiced their displeasure immediately afterwards when they realized All Might had said something different. 'Yep,' Clay thought to himself, 'Time to go home.'

The Cero Residence: Night Time

Despite his loss in the semifinals, Clay's family still had a big dinner to celebrate Clay's participation. To be honest, he was just glad the tournament had finally come to an end. "It still stinks you couldn't keep competing," Said his father, "A tiebreaker between you and Slade would've been interesting to see."

"As I've said before, we were medically unable to compete," Said Clay, "Between keeping me from potential internal bleeding and Slade being jittery from being electrocuted, they couldn't safely let us compete in a tiebreaker. And that's assuming they could find something for the both of us to compete at."

"And you're sure you still aren't in danger of more internal bleeding," questioned his mother. "We headed back over to Recovery Girl the moment the awards ceremony was over," Explained Clay, "She made us promise to do that before she let us go to watch the final matches. So me, Slade and Midoriya were all her repeat patients."

"That woman really is a blessing for that school," Said his father, "Especially for folks like your friend Midoriya. He's got amazing power but it's a shame he injures himself just to use it."

"He's learning to control it," said Clay as he stood up to drop the chicken bones on his plate in the trash, "I've got no doubt he'll come up with a better way to use it soon. Recovery Girl only has so much patience even if it is her job."

"Oh dear is the trash already full again," said his mother as she noticed the full bag in the can.

"I got it," Said Clay as he began tying up the bag of garbage before removing it from the can.

"You can just leave it there for the moment," Said his mother, "One of us will get it in a bit."

"I'm not in terminal condition," Said Clay as he picked up the bag and headed out the door, "At least not anymore, I can get this." His mother still looked unsure but didn't argue as Clay walked outside to the larger trashcan next to the street. 'Though I will admit,' he thought as he tossed the garbage in the can, 'I am still a bit sore in the chest area.' He was about to turn back around and go inside when something caught his attention out of the corner of his eye.

Turning around, Clay saw the shadowed outline of someone approaching. "Is uh, someone there," Clay called out, instantly realizing how lame it sounded. The figure advanced without answering as Clay discreetly produced a small bit of cloud behind his back. "Look I've had a long day," He said, putting a bit more force into his voice, "So I'm not in the mood for any trouble this evening."

"I'm afraid you've already got trouble on the way," Said the figure. Clay stiffened at the sound of the man's voice. As he stepped into the light, Clay beheld a man with orange hair and a kind of black burn mark on his face. "It's been quite a while, Clay Cero."

 **At long last, the tournament arc has come to an end, but the shadow of the league of villains rises again as Clay faces a man from his past. I hope everyone's enjoyed the story so far, because here we are at chapter 30. So thank you all to everyone whose kept up with this story so far, and feel free to leave reviews and comments. It's always good to hear from the community. Be sure to stop by next time as Clay deals with an unexpected nuisance, and the rest of Class 1A deals with that all important bit of heroing, picking a name. 'Til next time.**


	31. Heroes Need Names

**Heroes Need Names**

Outside the Cero Residence

Clay hesitated for only a moment before lashing out. "YOU!" exclaimed the cloud user as he fired the cloud in his hand at the unwelcome stranger. Just as it got close, the cloud split into three, two of which shot through the man's ankles while the main one continued through the man's head. Which was actually a problem.

"Not a bad move," said the man, "You anticipated I would blast through the main one, so you had it split into two more at the last second to take out my mobility. It's no wonder they couldn't get any of you at the USJ. I'm even more impressed that you remembered me."

"A voice like yours is something I doubt I'll ever forget. That being said, I don't remember you having the power to phase!" Said Clay angrily, "Better yet, why are you even here Ghoul Fire? The deal was you never come to Japan again!"

"As hard as it may be for you to believe," Said Ghoul Fire with his hands raised, "I didn't come back to this country of my own volition. As for the phasing, well I called in a favor from an old friend with a projection quirk. Seems it was a good precaution given your initial reaction."

"What did you expect?" Questioned Clay, "I had hoped to never cross paths with you ever again. With the attack on the USJ, it wouldn't be hard to believe you were here to kill me." Ghoul Fire simply shook his head at that before replying.

"And here I was hoping you didn't think so little of me after all this time," Said Ghoul Fire, "You may not realize it, but I'm taking a little bit of a risk even contacting you."

"Which brings us back to the original question," Said Clay, "Why are you in Japan in the first place?"

"The so-called league of villains," Explained Ghoul Fire, "They had a guy with a warp quirk pull me out of my nice little spot in Russia. I'm here now because they wanted to recruit a better class of villain after their little debacle at the USJ. I told them I'd need some time to think about it and so they let me wonder around Japan for a bit until I either made up my mind or they ran out of patience."

"And you decided to contact me of all people because?" Clay questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm still a wanted man, remember," Ghoul Fire pointed out, "You and your friend aren't the only ones who remember me. If my description gets out to the heroes, it'll be a man hunt. But you I know can at least be reasoned with to a degree."

"I helped you escape and you helped us escape," Said Clay, "We don't owe each other anything, so I hope you aren't expecting me to help you out of another jam."

"Quite the opposite," Said Ghoul Fire, "I've got a number of ways I can skip town without these new bloods finding me. I came here to warn you and maybe drop a tip or two. But don't get the wrong idea, I'm not doing this for you or the students of U.A., I'm just not interested in a bunch of young punks trying to pull me out of retirement. So the sooner they're taken down, the better."

"Well at least your motivation makes sense, for you," Said Clay, "So what are they planning? Are they going to attack the school again?"

"They've been attempting to gather an elite vanguard of villains," Said Ghoul Fire, "They wanted me to join and no doubt they're recruiting scoundrels that are far more formidable than that last batch of lightweights. I don't know when, but sometime within the next few weeks, they will likely attack again."

"Do you have the location of their hideout," asked Clay, "Or anything that might help us find them?"

"I'm afraid not," replied Ghoul Fire, "They transported me to an abandoned office building for my little meeting with them. Apparently they had some trouble with another villain at their main hideout, a new guy who goes by the name, hero killer Stain." Clay vaguely recognized that name from news reports he'd been hearing. According to his Uncle, the homicidal maniac had managed to kill seventeen heroes. He supposed it was good news to hear that the prick apparently didn't fit in with the league.

"Okay," Said Clay, "So you can't tell me where to find them, then what can you tell me other than the fact that they're preparing for another attack?"

"A little tip," Said Ghoul Fire, "I'm not sure how helpful it will be because it is a little risky with a potentially low return."

"Why don't I hear it first," Said Clay as he crossed his arms, "Then I'll decide if it's risky or not." Ghoul Fire smirked at that statement.

"There's a bar that goes by the name Eight Ball Knuckles," Explained Ghoul Fire, "A number of unsavory characters like to hang out there and it's a good place to get information about the villain underworld."

"It sounds like it's named after a villain I heard of once," Said Clay.

"That's because it is owned and operated by the villain of the very same name," Replied Ghoul Fire, "'The' Eight Ball Knuckles, a villain who once managed to go a few rounds with All Might himself when the hero first appeared. He retired and opened the bar some time ago after his sentence was up and now he welcomes all manner of characters into his bar so long as they know the password and won't likely cause enough trouble to go on his 'no admittance' list."

"Sounds simple enough," Said Clay, "Where's the risk involved in this? It sounds like I could just relay all of this information to the heroes."

"Ah, but that's the problem," Said Ghoul Fire, "Since this bar is in one of the few unsavory parts of town over there, they'll be alerted to the presence of the police or pros the moment they get on the block. The doorman also has the ability to sniff out anyone on the bartender's 'no admittance' list and you better believe that includes a number of heroes."

"So who can sneak in there then," Asked Clay, half-fearing the answer.

"Why, a couple of heroes in training who have yet to make a name for themselves," Said Ghoul Fire, "They don't really I.D. at a bar that welcomes villains, so no one would bat an eye at the presence of a couple of high schoolers." Clay glared with a good bit of irritation as he fully grasped the situation.

"So basically," Clay began, "You're saying that if we want to get any possible information out of the pricks at this bar, Slade and I will have to sneak in there ourselves."

"It's merely a suggestion," Said Ghoul Fire, "I saw your little performance in the sports festival, you both have a good deal of potential. I also happen to know that place pretty well and I can tell you a few ways to avoid a worst case scenario. But first, you need to decide whether or not you think you can handle something like this or if you're happy with the information I've been able to provide."

Clay put his hand to his chin as he thought about his answer. If the league of villains was moving again, then they needed all of the information that they could get. Problem was, there was a possibility they could be found out at the front door and have a confrontation with a former villain who once traded blows with All Might and gain no information at all. Of course if they did get in and Ghoul Fire's advice on how to avoid a worst case scenario worked, then they might learn exactly who and what they were dealing with. He ran the options over in his head again and again until he finally looked back at the projection of Ghoul Fire and gave his answer.

The Next Day: U. A: Class 1A

"So the dickhead reappeared huh," Said Slade as they walked to class, "All just to give us a warning about the league of villains and conveniently had some advice about where to find some more information on them. You know it could all be a trap right?"

"The thought had occurred to me three or four times," replied Clay, "But if that was the case, why not say we were guaranteed information if we go there? What's more, he would've given us a date and time where we could've found the most information. Not to mention, why even mention Eight Ball Knuckle's supposed big rule?"

"An interesting one at that," Commented Slade, "But I guess when you got something you're good at. But that still leaves the one big issue."

"Yep," Said Clay as they approached their class, "Should we go or ignore it completely. Either way, I need to talk to my Uncle about the place later." Slade nodded as they entered the classroom. Inside, Momo and Iida were already there as expected and so was Midoriya. But the atmosphere was a little different. Iida seemed a little distracted by something, no doubt he was still thinking about the state his brother Ingenium had been left in by Stain.

"Oh Slade, Clay," Said Momo with a wave, "It's good to see you've both healed up. How was your time off?"

"OOOOOOH!" Groaned Clay as he collapsed into his seat, "Every fifth person recognized me whenever I went out. I had a practical crowd that wanted to greet me on the way to school this morning."

"Same here," Said Slade as he took his seat, "Kind of hard to avoid being seen when you're as tall as I am."

"I was congratulated by the whole crowd on the train," Said Midoriya, "Definitely not what I expected this morning."

"It's something that we'll have to get used to," Said Momo, "The world was watching us during the sports festival. Of course, we'll have to deal with the public quite a bit once we become pros." Both Midoriya and Clay groaned at this, neither one of them really liking to be the center of attention. Soon enough, the rest of the class showed up, most of whom were rather excited at being recognized by the public at large. Although some, like Sero, were recognized more for messing up in the sports festival than they were for actually competing in it.

Of course, all conversation died down immediately as the door to the classroom slid open to reveal their teacher Aizawa who, as Tsuyu pointed out, no longer had bandages covering his whole body. "The old nurse went overboard with her healing quirk," Aizawa explained as he rubbed his trademark sleepy eyes, "But putting that aside, we've got an important project in class today, hero informatics." As always, the class tensed up whenever their teacher mentioned that something would be important. Well, everyone except for Clay, who'd learned that it was better to worry after he heard what his teacher and Uncle had to say.

"Today, you'll all be picking code names," said Aizawa, "The identities you wish to go by as heroes." The atmosphere changed immediately as everyone let out a cheer, which was quickly stopped by Aizawa demanding that they quiet down. "This directly relates to the super hero draft picks," Said Aizawa, "Ordinarily, you wouldn't need to worry about this sort of thing until your second or even third year. But several pros have extended offers to this class, meaning they're investing in your potential. Though keep in mind, many of the offers can still be rescinded if they lose interest in you."

"So in other words, we have to keep proving ourselves?" Said Hagakure, basically summarizing everyone else's thoughts on the matter.

"Exactly," replied Aizawa as he pulled out a remote and switched on a screen at the front of the class. It showed the names of a number of students, including Clay and Slade, but not every student's name was on the list. Next to each of the names was a bar with a number at the other end, the higher the number, the longer the bar. "These are the offers which have been extended," Said Aizawa, "In years past, it's been a little more spread out but as you can see, there's a bit of a wide gap this time."

"I'm surprised Todoroki got more than Bakugou," Said Jiro, while Clay tried to stifle a laugh.

"It is kind of the other way around from the sports festival," Said Kirishima.

"I bet it's because none of them were too thrilled about the possibility of working with a guy who had to be chained up for the awards ceremony," Sero pointed out.

"If a pro is scared of me then they're just a weakling!" Exclaimed Bakugou, who was still pissed off about the outcome of the sports festival.

"I'm sure they're just concerned about property damage," Said Clay as he leaned back in his seat, "Explosive diarrhea is always so messy. Though speaking of your 'win', so-called, I've been meaning to ask, what's victory taste like when it's dangling from your mouth?"

"Keep it up you bastard!" Exclaimed Bakugou as he turned to Clay with sparks coming from his hands, "I'll make a mess of this room with your insides!"

"But you should be proud," Slade added with his own smug look on his face, "I mean you probably made history. I don't think I've ever seen a more disputed ending to a match in my life." Bakugou turned his snarling visage towards Slade, but the rest of the conversation was quickly cut off by Aizawa.

"Enough," Their teacher said with a bit of an edge to his voice before continuing. "In spite of these results, you'll all be taking part in internships." This got the rest of the class's attention. "This class has already experienced battle with villains, but it will still benefit you all to see pros up close."

"And we'll need hero names to do that right!" Said Sato, more as a statement then a question.

"Most of these names will likely be temporary," Said Aizawa, "However, I advise you to take them seriously-."

"Or you'll pay for it later!" Exclaimed Midnight, who was without her trademark mask, as she slid open the door to the class and walked in. "Chose carefully or the name you pick today may remain with you for life, and we wouldn't want any of you getting stuck with something indecent."

"Midnight will have the final say on the names you chose," Said Aizawa, which elicited a snort from Clay, "It's not really my specialty."

"No kidding," said Clay with a snicker as he was finding it harder and harder not to laugh. His uncle might've said something if he wasn't already climbing back into his sleeping bag.

"The name you give yourself is a representation of what you stand for as a hero," Said Aizawa, "It will also tell other people the kind of hero you want to be. So think carefully." Most everyone in the class nodded as they passed around a number of boards and markers. As the naming got underway, Clay was quickly distracted by a curious Jiro.

"Hey," Jiro said, "What in the world were you snickering at earlier?"

"Oh that," Said Clay with a slight chuckle, "It's just the situation my Uncle found himself in."

"What's that," Jiro questioned curiously. Clay thought of how best to explain it.

"Well you see, his hero name, Eraser Head, wasn't his idea," Said Clay, "It was Present Mike's idea back when they were in school. If you can imagine it, my Uncle didn't care to be in the spotlight even then, so the name just stuck with him."

"Wait," Said Jiro with a slight chuckle, "Your uncle didn't pick his own super hero name?"

"Nope," Said Clay as he set his face and voice in the best imitation of his Uncle, "He just went 'Whatever, I don't care.'" This led to a number of people snickering as Mina managed to overhear their conversation as well. That was until a grunt from their teacher got them all back on track.

"So what name are you going pick," Momo asked Slade, noting that the tall student had already written something down.

"Some of the most famous dense material in the universe," Said Slade, "Though I wonder how many people are going to get it."

"I'm sure it'll make sense," Momo encouraged him, "So long as it describes what you want it to describe."

"Oh it will," replied Slade with a smirk, "It most definitely will." The next few minutes after that were fairly quiet until Midnight called for time up. It was at that point that she revealed that they would be presenting their names. Clay wasn't really nervous about the name he selected, but he wasn't all that keen on going first either. As it turned out, most of the class didn't want to go first either, well most of them.

Personally, he shouldn't have been surprised that the sparkling attention hog with a French accent, which Clay was fairly certain was fake, went up first. He was, however, surprised that Aoyama thought 'I cannot stop twinkling,' qualified as a name. Apparently it was good enough for Midnight, though, as she advised him to simply shorten it to 'Can't Stop Twinkling.' 'Why not go the rest of the way and just say 'Can't Twinkle,' Clay thought.

Up next was Mina, with the hero name Alien Queen, which was immediately shot down by Midnight because it made her think of the monster from the Alien movies. 'We're gonna wind up with a bunch of weird names, aren't we?' thought Slade with a sigh. Fortunately, the rest of the names were a bit better received, though some were still weird.

Tsuyu was Froppy, Kirishima was Red Riot, Jiro was Earphone Jack, Shoji was Tentacole. Then there were some less creative names. Sero was Cellophane, Ojiro was Tailman, and Sado was Sugarman. 'Some of those are on the nose,' thought Clay as he decided he may as well get it over with. Moving up to the podium at the front of the room, Clay presented the name he wished to go by as a hero. "Cloud Warrior Cirrus," Said Clay

.

"Simple but effective," Said Midnight, which had Clay sighing mentally, glad he didn't have to change it. "Not bad at all." Slade decided to follow up after his friend as he presented his name.

"I am the density shifter Dark Matter!" Slade declared, rather loudly. Unfortunately, this confused a number of classmates.

"Those seem a little unrelated," Said Kaminari, "Unless you got another trick we don't know about." Slade sighed before answering.

"Really, no one knows what Dark Matter and density have to do with each other," Said Slade, "Clay I've already explained this one to ya so don't blurt it out." The rest of the class seemed to be thinking it over.

"Oh quit stalling if you couldn't think of a good name," Exclaimed Bakugou.

"That's one guess wasted from Lord Chunk Blower back there," quipped Slade, making Bakugou even angrier, "who's next?"

"If you get super dense, do you turn black," Questioned Mineta, "Is that like a secret technique?" This answer was of course wrong as well.

"You're referring to the substance dark matter aren't you?" Said Momo finally, "It's regarded as the densest material in the universe."

"And gold star once again to the smartest person in hero class," Said Slade, "Yes, densest material in the universe. I figured it matches up quite well with a guy whose quirk is altering their density."

"Well when you put it that way," Said Midnight, "It fits quite well. I think it'll do fine as a hero name." Slade returned to his seat then as the next few students got up and presented their names. Kaminari was Charge Bolt, Mina was up again as Pinky, and Hagakure was Invisible Girl.

"I feel like that's almost copyright," Whispered Slade as Momo stood up and showed her name, Creati.

"Able to make just about anything but a creative name," Clay whispered, and immediately regretted it as Slade knocked him on the head with his board. "Ow, sorry bad joke." Up next was Todoroki who only used his first name Shoto, Tokoyami was Tsukoyomi, Mineta was Grape Juice, Koda was Anima. Bakugou attempted to go with King Explosion Murder, which was denied due to being too violent.

"Why not Explosion Boy," Suggested Kirishima, which only seemed to make Bakugou angrier.

"I think most hero names don't include Death, Kill, or Murder in their titles," Said Clay, "Think of the children."

"Screw the both of you!" Exclaimed Bakugou as he went to sit down and revise his hero name. After him were the final few. Uraraka picked Uravity, Iida decided to also stick with his first name, Tenya, and as for Midoriya, it came as no surprise to Clay or Slade that he decided to stick with Deku. Oh, and Bakugou tried going with Lord Explosion Murder, which didn't fly either because it was basically the same as the last one.

Once the naming was done, Aizawa took over the class again to resume talking about the internships. "Alright, now that we've got that taken care of, we can get back to the internships," he said, "They'll last for exactly one week. For those who received offers, you'll get to pick who you wish to intern with. As for everyone else, a different list will be provided. In total, there are about forty agencies across the country which are willing to take on interns right now, so pick the one that specializes in the area of expertise you're trying to get into."

They were then given copies of the lists of offers for each one of them. Both Clay and Slade had been given a decent number of offers, more than enough to choose from in Clay's opinion. But, both students had a little more on their minds than internships right now. "You'll have until the weekend to choose an agency to intern with," Said Aizawa as he headed out the door with Midnight, "So you'd best pick fast."

'Oh good,' Clay thought sarcastically as he skimmed through the list of offers he'd gotten, 'No pressure as usual.' "It looks like most of the offers we got came from the same agencies," Observed Slade as he compared their lists, "I guess the most endearing thing about us during the festival was all our little stunts during the cavalry battle."

"Well I will admit," said Uraraka, "I'm glad you both didn't come after us. Though that does make me wonder, are you two gonna try being a hero team when you graduate?"

"Who knows," Said Clay as he looked over another page of offers, "We've worked together as friends for years. I'm surprised Slade's not gotten sick of me yet."

"It all depends on what'll work best," Said Slade as he flipped to the third page of offers for himself, "Yes we do make a fairly formidable team and I'd rather if we didn't wind up repeatedly interfering with each other's hero business on accident. But of course it's still too early to say what would work best for us. Personally, I think an internship with a newer hero would probably benefit us the best and, wait a minute, that's it!" Slade took his pencil and circled one of the offers.

"Did a light bulb just turn on in there," Questioned Mina, "Don't keep us in suspense."

"I think this would work for me and you Clay," Said Slade as he showed him the name, "We've both got offers from him and his agency is in a prime location." Clay was a little confused until he looked at what Slade was talking about. The location of the agency, was very close to the villain bar Ghoul Fire had told them about. A small but knowing smile spread across Clay's face.

"Prime location indeed," Said Clay, "I've been meaning to thank this particular hero for a long time."

 **And so the stage is set as the internships begin, but how truly risky is this little side job Ghoul Fire has told them about? And a hello to everyone one once again, hope you enjoyed the chapter and for those of you waiting for the action, we're getting there. So as always, feel free to comment and/or review on what you liked and didn't like about the chapter, or even suggest a few ideas if you like. Be sure to stop in next time as Clay and Slade begin their first hero internship, and their own investigation of the league of villains. 'Til next time.**


	32. Working The System and The Streets

**Working The System And The Streets**

Train Station: Start of Internships

Both Clay and Slade stood with the rest of their class, waiting expectantly at the train station. Everyone had a good bit of luggage given that the internships lasted a week. "Good, you all have your costumes," said Aizawa as he looked over his class, "You can wear them during the internship, but not out in public. Also, don't lose them or get them torn up, understood."

"You got it!" Exclaimed Mina holding the briefcase with her costume in the air excitedly.

"Be sure to speak properly," Said Aizawa, "Such as saying 'yes sir' Ashido, and don't forget your manners when you're with the other heroes, understood."

"Yes sir," said Ashido as her enthusiasm deflated a good bit. Everyone else answered yes sir as well to their teacher's instructions.

"Good," said Aizawa, "Now it's time for you all to head out, so get to it." Everyone nodded as they moved towards their respective trains. Clay and Slade moved towards Midoriya and Uraraka for a quick moment as soon as they were done bidding farewell to Mina, Ojiro, Momo, Kaminari and Jirou, who'd been a bit more talkative around them lately.

"Yo Midoriya," Said Clay as he and Slade approached, noticing that Iida was walking off, "Everything alright over here?"

"Oh, uh, hey guys," said Midoriya as he and Uraraka turned to them, "Yeah we were, uh, just making sure that Iida was alright. Ever since that incident with Ingenium and Stain he's been a little distant."

"Well that is to be expected I'm afraid," Said Slade, "Seeing a loved one in such a state takes a toll on anyone. But hopefully with time and support, he'll get through it."

"And besides," Said Clay, "He's not far from where your internship is gonna be right? So if he does need help, you're right around the corner, so to speak. Which reminds me, congratulations on getting an offer."

"Oh thanks," Said Midoriya as he rubbed the back of his head, "Believe me, I was just as surprised as anyone else that I even got one."

"It wasn't that surprising," said Uraraka, "After you got as far as you did in the sports festival, the only real surprise is that you didn't get more."

"You, uh, r-really t-think so?" Questioned Midoriya as he once again devolved into a stuttering mess, "I-I mean I guess I d-did okay, but i-it could always b-be better-." The green-haired boy continued to stumble over his words as his two friends just shook their heads.

"And there he goes again," said Slade as he and Clay turned to head to their train, "You guys take care now and try to stay out of trouble."

"Well we can't make any promises," Uraraka said as she and Midoriya waved back, "But we will if you do!" 'Well then we've already screwed the pooch on that one then,' thought Clay as they turned a corner.

"Stay out of trouble she says," commented Slade as they approached their train, "I imagine we're some of the only two actually looking for trouble."

"I wouldn't be so sure," said Clay as they stepped onto their train. Clay looked around, noting that the car was surprisingly empty on the end they came in on. Not taking any chances, the cloud user whispered the next part to Slade. "I hear Iida is heading to Hosu, which is where Stain was last spotted."

A look of concern crossed his friend's face at that news. "You don't think he's actually gonna go after a guy like that, do you?"

"Logically speaking, it would be a very bad idea," Clay whispered back, "But revenge is a strong motivator, and while Iida is smart, he also gets really emotional, like when he goes overboard about school procedure and etiquette." Slade let out a huff at that as he leaned back against the wall of the train.

"I guess the only thing we can really hope for is that Iida gets unlucky, or that the hero he's interning with is able to keep an eye on him," Said Slade, "Either way, this is not an ideal situation."

"Not one we can do much about anyway," Said Clay as he crossed his arms, "I guess the best we can do right now is keep an eye on our phones and the news and hope he's not doing something so reckless."

"As opposed to what we're doing," Said Slade with a raised eyebrow, "Because I'm sure it ranks pretty high up there on a scale of one to suicidally stupid."

"If it looks too sketchy we can probably slip back out," Said Clay, "Unlike Iida, we won't be trying to pick a fight."

"Well let's hope everything goes to plan then," said Slade, "Because I somehow doubt it'll be as easy as all that."

Kamui Wood's Hero Agency

"I must say, I'm somewhat surprised," Said Kamui Woods, "You both performed quite well during the festival and with the teamwork you both displayed, I expect you received a number of offers. So I suppose the big question I would like answered is, of all the hero agencies out there, why chose mine?"

"I suppose you wouldn't really remember us after all this time," said Clay as he rubbed the back of his head, "But you saved the two of us a little over two years ago. Still wearing the blue jump suit and wood mask I see."

"I was a side kick two years ago," Said Kamui Woods, "Back then I was just getting started. Unlike a lot of sidekicks, however, my first patrol wound up with the arrests of several villains and the rescue of a number of prisoners from a flaming-wait." The two students couldn't see it real well, but they assumed a look of realization was crossing the heroes face. "Ah yes, you were the two boys I pulled out of the harbor that night where the oil tanker sank."

"Yeah that's us," Said Clay as he pushed his goggles up and removed the bottom portion of his mask. Both he and Slade had changed into their hero costumes shortly after arriving. "Never really got the chance to properly thank you."

"There's no need for that," Said Kamui Woods with a wave of his hand, "I was exacting justice and protecting the innocent, just as a hero should. But it is encouraging to see that my actions have spurred on the next generation of heroes."

"So why don't you give us the rundown of what a normal work day is like for you," said Slade.

"I have a much better idea," said Kamui Woods as he held up a finger, "You see, I'm about to go on patrol as it turns out. If there's one thing I've learned being an upcoming hero, it's that there's no substitute for real world experience." The two students nodded at that as they were lead outside onto the roof of the building. "Do your best to keep up."

With that final comment, the tree-themed hero leapt off of the roof, sending out a long wooden root to swing onto the next building. Clay and Slade were right behind him as one used a cloud to ride on while the other lowered his density to make incredibly long jumps. "So how does a hero agency normally operate?" Questioned Slade.

"In basic terms," replied Kamui Woods, "We're like civil servants but with very specific responsibilities. Due to the quirks and other abilities we wield, Pros receive requests for aid from the police, public safety administration and other organizations. These requests are all divided up by district and once completed, pros file reports on the services provided. This of course includes the main goal of stopping crime as well as rescues, arrests and all forms of expending justice. A special agency then evaluates our reports and pays us wages based on our work."

"So basically the more you do, or how effectively you do it determines what the government pays you." Surmised Clay as they turned a corner and leapt to another building.

"That about sums it up," Said Kamui Woods as the sound of an alarm going off drew their attention. Apparently, a pack of animal-themed pricks were robbing a convenience store. "That would be our cue, you two provide back up and watch how a pro handles a situation." The two students nodded as they followed after the pro and landed in front of the fleeing criminals.

"Oh crap, it's a pro!" Exclaimed the lead criminal, a guy with a crow's head, "Head the other way!"

"There's no escaping the reach of justice!" Declared Kamui Woods as he held his hand out, "Lacquered chain prison!" A mass of large roots shot out from the pro's hand as his signature move managed to seize all but two of the fleeing criminals. "After them!"

"Right!" Declared Clay and Slade as they used their respective quirks to leap over Kamui Woods and pursue the fleeing villains. Clay picked out his target and produced his familiar cloth cloud to ensnare him, causing the monkey-headed robber to topple over, now unable to move. As for Slade, he tackled his opponent in the back, grabbing him around the waist before slamming him onto the ground in a familiar German suplex maneuver. He ended it by sitting on top of the villain, using the weight from his current high density to hold him down.

"Robbery and destruction of public property," stated Kamui Woods, "Not to mention public endangerment. Indeed the root of evil has begun to grow in all of you and it must be stopped immediately! By the authority vested in me by the people, I place you all under arrest!"

"Uh, what he said," commented Slade. 'I forgot, the guy can get a little over dramatic from time to time.'

Kamui Woods Hero Agency: A Few Hours Later

"Not a bad performance today," Said Kamui Woods, "Obviously you both still have much to learn, but the abilities you've demonstrated thus far are still relatively impressive." It had been a day. They'd stopped three more crimes while out on patrol, all of which were fortunately easy enough with a pro's help, and learned a little of the ends and outs of working with the local authorities. They'd also had to deal with the bombardment of questions and camera flashes that came with talking to the media, which was an exercise in itself.

"We've had an interesting year," said Clay as he and Slade finished filling out some paper work, "Having to fight villains in the first year along with the sports festival kind of demands quick improvement."

"And to think we're just now getting close to the end of the first semester," Said Slade, "If we keep it up, do you think they'll let us graduate early?"

"Now you two shouldn't get ahead of yourselves," said Kamui Woods with his arms crossed, "Even after I graduated from hero school, there was still a good bit for me to do before I was able to become an established hero. You have to demonstrate to the public that you can offer more than just a few flashy moves or neat tricks. For example, you Clay, seem to rely mostly on simple shapes when it comes to fighting with your clouds, but more complex formations are not out of your reach if you can improve your concentration. As for you Slade, your understanding of physics with your quirk is phenomenal, but most of your fighting moves seem to rely on wrestling maneuvers and back alley brawling."

"Well most of the punks I'm used to dealing with use physical attacks," replied Slade, "So a few good throwing moves was all I needed once I got a hold of them. But then again, I've only fought the low class of villains with poor training so far."

"Exactly," Said Kamui Woods, "You need to expand your horizons, not just with your quirks but your skill sets as well. So starting tomorrow, it'll be specialized training for the both of you alongside some of my other recruits. So for now, finish up here and report to the gym at seven am. You'll need your rest because tomorrow, I teach you all about upholding justice."

"Yes sir!" Said the two students as they finished cleaning their respective work areas. Kamui Woods, satisfied that they knew what was going on left them to their own devices. The two friends didn't say much after that until they were in the area where they'd be sleeping for the night. "Alright," said Clay as he pulled out a map with a marked location, "We're a lot closer than we were, but we still need to figure out how to get there without being spotted."

"It won't be easy," Said Slade, "We'll either need to sneak out or come up with some excuse as to why we need to wander around that area."

"When I talked to Uncle, he said it was a somewhat isolated part of town," Said Clay, "An area the cops don't patrol as much because it's definitely seedy but surprisingly quiet. It's possible we might head that way at some point as part of our internship, though I wouldn't count on it."

"So basically we're waiting for the moment our supervising hero turns his back long enough to slip away into a villain infested bar," Said Slade, "You know your Uncle will likely expel us if we get caught."

"'If' we get caught trying to sneak away," said Clay, "If the villains get us first, expulsion will be the least of our concerns. Which is why you don't have to follow me into the bar if you don't want too."

"You're kidding right," Said Slade with his arms crossed, "We agreed to watch each other's backs a long time ago, which is why not just one of us is in U.A. Plus, I'd never forgive myself if I let you go into a place like that alone and something happened to you. Likewise, I'd expect you to do the same for me."

"I guess that settles it then," Said Clay as he held his fist up, "We're both gonna try and give a hero the slip in order to help our friends."

"Let's break some rules," replied Slade with a smirk as the two friends bumped fists in agreement, "And knock some villain heads while we're at it. Unbeknownst to them, their chance to fight the league would come again, sooner than either of them expected.

 **The two student's plan begins as they manage to move into the area near their target, but a few unexpected surprises await them. Hello everyone, hope you enjoyed this latest chapter as we get the internship arc rolling. As always, feel free to leave a comment or a review about any ideas or critiques that you think will help this story along. Be sure to stop by next time as our two heroes in training get caught up in a villain attack in Hosu, and not just any villains but some newer versions of an old foe. 'Til next time.**


	33. Night of the Nomus

**Night of the Nomus**

Kamui Wood's Hero Agency

"Try to relax a little more," Said Kamui Woods as he reshaped the wood protruding from his hand into a small statue, "Think of images that come to mind easily first, then have them all move to a specific purpose." Clay didn't answer right away as he moved to shape another tree out of the clouds he'd produced. It was now the second day of the internships and both he and Slade were hard at work expanding their skills. In his case, Clay had been attempting to create a small scale model of a forest with his clouds, adding as much detail as he could, while Slade was getting some instruction in the Japanese fighting style known as Aikido. The sound of a body hitting the floor again told Clay that things were going, okay over on Slade's end.

"Now expand the forest outward a bit more," said Kamui Woods. Clay nodded as he added even more trees, but it was slower and more difficult than before. He'd been reshaping the small cloud forest for more than thirty minutes now and it was becoming increasingly difficult to maintain, given that Clay's record for holding any shape more complex than a simple tool was at best half that time. "Now add even more of your clouds to it." He did as instructed, producing another small amount of his clouds from his hand that he sent to join the mass which was now taking up a good portion of their side of the room.

"Now raise only a few certain trees," said Kamui Woods, "And morph them into something else." Clay attempted to comply as he managed to raise a few, but as he started to change their shape, he began to lose some of the forest's shape. "Maintain what you've already created." 'Easier said than done,' he thought as he finally collapsed to his knees, causing the cloud forest to dissipate at last. Kamui Woods clicked a stop watch he'd been holding.

"Thirty two minutes of maintaining and reshaping your clouds into complex shapes," said Kamui Woods, "Your best session so far, though you still have trouble creating a mass of complex shapes."

"I can only concentrate on so many pictures in my head at once," breathed Clay as he stood back up, "And I usually haven't had to maintain them for too long."

"You've spent a lot of time using your quirk for combat or simple recreation," Said Kamui Woods, "But if you're going to be a successful hero, you need to explore all aspects of your quirk, including how best to use it for rescue operations and public defense. Not to mention, it would likely be a great help to pull a few shapes for entertaining younger victims." Kamui woods emphasized his point by creating a small flower in his hand. "Simplicity is usually good but don't let the need for it limit what you do with your quirk."

Clay nodded as Slade was suddenly flung over to their side of the room. "Hey Clay, how's your training going," groaned the density shifter as Clay helped him up.

"Oh just getting in touch with my more artistic side," Said Clay, "How about you? Getting thrown around helping you out any?"

"It's a fascinating study of physics," replied Slade, "At least when my head stops spinning it is."

"You still need to work on your technique," said the Aikido instructor, a surprisingly short man with a body made of rocks wearing the traditional Aikido wear, a white gee top and black kendo pants. "Remember Aikido is about turning your opponent's weight and power against them, not throwing your own weight around."

"Yes sir, I am a lever, not a steam roller," answered Slade, repeating a piece of wisdom he'd been given for likely the hundredth time.

"More like a lever that can weigh as much as a steam roller when he wants to," quipped Clay, who was quickly elbowed in the ribs.

"Alright," Said Kamui Woods, "That's probably enough for now. I've got some filing to do, so the two of you get to clean up the training area. After that, meet me at the entrance with some supplies for traveling, because tonight we're headed to the edge of Hosu."

"What's around the Hosu area," asked Slade. 'Besides that Stain psycho.'

"It's near Shibuya," replied Kamui Woods, "The crime rate is a bit higher with more villains roaming around the area. It's a good chance for the two of you to put what you've learned so far into practice, not to mention if we're lucky, I can show the both of you what it looks like when two or more hero organizations need to cooperate."

"I guess we'd better get started then," Said Clay as he started picking up some of the training dummies they'd been using, "Don't wanna waste any time."

"Good man," Said Kamui Woods as he and the Aikido instructor exited the room. Slade waited until he was out of earshot before speaking.

"You seem a little eager to get over near Hosu," Said Slade, "You worried about Iida?"

"More or less," replied Clay, "I know Midoriya would want us to at least check up on him."

"You really think Iida could actually find Stain?" Asked Slade, "The guy's avoided capture so far and he could've moved on to another part of Japan by now."

"That's the thing," Said Clay, "I'm worried Iida might stumble across him on accident and try to take him head on without thinking. So the least we can do is make sure that if something like that occurs, he'll at least have someone to back him up. Of course we can't do any of that until we clean up this mess, so let's get to it."

A Few Hours Later: On a Train through Hosu

The ride over was fairly uneventful as Clay peered out the window of the moving train. He had to admit, it felt kind of weird traveling on a train while wearing his costume. 'It's like Halloween with Kevlar,' Clay thought, 'Just another thing to get used to I suppose.' Slade, who was sitting next to him, didn't seem all that bothered by it, while Kamui Woods sat across from them. As they waited, the train suddenly slowed to a stop as it pulled into one of Hosu's many train stations.

"Alright," Said Kamui Woods as they all stood up, "We'll be switching trains here and proceeding on to the edge of the city. So we don't have a lot of time to dawdle." The two students nodded their heads in understanding as they grabbed their bags and stepped off the train.

"So where would you say the big problem areas around Hosu are?" Questioned Slade, "More towards the center of the city or spread out along the outskirts?" Kamui Woods was about to answer when the sound of an explosion drew their attention.

"I think today, the problem area is over there," Said Kamui Woods, "Drop the bags off, we need to get over there." They did as instructed before following after their supervising hero, who'd taken to swinging on the vines from his arms. Clay created an extra-large cloud for both him and a low density Slade to ride on. They made their way towards the source of the chaos, which appeared to be three large figures with strange bodies who had their brains exposed on their heads.

'Wait a second,' thought Clay, 'large blue, inhuman bodies with their brains exposed.' The USJ incident flashed through his mind. 'It can't be, those are Nomu!' "Woods Sensei, we need to be careful, those are-!" But his warning came just a little too late as a fourth Nomu came leaping down from a nearby building, swinging its misshapen arm at Kamui Woods. The Pro hero just managed to make a wooden shield in time to block the blow, but the force of the impact still knocked him out of the air and into the window of a nearby building.

" %$ ," Slade swore as the Nomu landed on the ground and turned towards them. The two students readied themselves as the multi-quirk monster leapt at them again. Clay and Slade countered by leaping off the cloud, with Slade grabbing hold of the creature around its neck, increasing his density to a large extreme. At about the same time, Clay formed more clouds under his feet while also reforming his other cloud into ropes, wrapped around the Nomu's feet.

The combination of attacks yanked the Nomu downward until it slammed into the ground below. As the smoke cleared, Slade was still holding the Nomu down with a high density choke hold. "You'd best go check on our supervisor," Said Slade, "It would kind of suck if he was taken out after only the second day."

"Just try to hold him down until-Slade heads up!" Exclaimed Clay as he saw the Nomu's head swing all the way around to face its captor. With a screech like nails on a chalkboard, the monster opened its mouth and expelled a large blast of flame. Slade swore as he managed to let go just in time to get away, but not without taking a burn on his left leg.

"The last one couldn't do that," Said Slade as they watched the monster twist its body around until it was facing them fully.

"But it's not as strong as the one that fought All Might," Observed Clay as he formed his signature cloud gauntlets, with added spikes, and boots, "It probably has a different set of quirks." The Nomu snarled at them again as its hands suddenly became a pair of mantis-like blades.

"And every last one can kill us," commented Slade as the monster charged. Slade countered by moving forward at high density, blocking the creature's blades with his hands while Clay used his clouds to leap over and punch it in the exposed brain area on its head before distancing himself and launching a few spikes as well. The Nomu roared, partly in pain but mostly anger as the spikes punctured its back. 'This one's skin isn't near as tough as the last ones,' Clay thought, 'We might have a chance.' A hope which was quickly dashed as the puncture wounds quickly healed up.

'Great,' he thought, 'it still has a regeneration quirk.' The Nomu then started breathing fire again, forcing Slade away before it turned on Clay, who flew into the air to avoid the intense heat. Clay fired the whole spiked gauntlet this time, but it was evaporated by the flames just before reaching the Nomu's head. The distraction worked long enough for Slade to tackle it from behind, slamming his elbow into the Nomu's back, sending it sliding several feet away with a crooked spine. But once again, it used its regeneration quirk to fix its spine and turn back towards them with an angry screech.

"I'm open to suggestions," Said Clay as the creature stalked towards them, opening its mouth to unleash another torrent of flame. Out of nowhere, a wooden vine wrapped around the Nomu's elongated snout, forcing it closed as the flames it was about to use shot out of its nose and the side of its mouth. A shriek of agony erupted from it as it coughed and spat blood and smoke out of its mouth.

"Are you two alright?" Questioned Kamui Woods as he landed in front of them.

"We should be asking you that," said Slade, "He got you pretty good with that swing earlier."

"It'll take a lot more than that to bring down an agent of justice," said Kamui Woods, still sporting his showy side. Clay could only shake his head when both his and Slade's phones went off. Quickly checking, they say it was a message from Midoriya, but all that was on it was a location of a nearby alley.

"We need to rap this up pronto," Said Slade as the Nomu's head fully regenerated, "Izuku would only send something like this if he was in trouble."

"Then we'll need to crush it completely," said Kamui Woods, "I have a plan but it'll only work with your help." The two students nodded in affirmation as the Nomu charged at them again, swinging its bladed arms. Clay and Kamui Woods jumped to the side while Slade tackled the monster head on at high density, ramming into it and holding it by the waist. Kamui Woods attempted to approach it from the side, only to be forced away by another torrent of flame from the creature's mouth.

This created an opening for Clay to fly in with a pair of cloud blades to slash at the back of the Nomu's knees, causing it to lose its balance, though he got nicked by one of its blades along the way. Taking his chance, Slade shifted around, grabbing his opponent by the arm and head as he performed an Aikido take down maneuver, slamming the Nomu into the pavement. "Clay, Slade, diving board maneuver!" Exclaimed Kamui Woods as shot out several root tendrils to hold down the thrashing monster. Clay did as instructed, sending his clouds under Slade's feet and lifting him off the ground at while he was at low density.

The Nomu continued to thrash, cutting and burning through the plant hero's roots. Clay divided his focus by forming floating hands to help hold it down, but it was becoming increasingly difficult. "How much higher Slade?" Questioned Clay as he continued to raise the cloud into the air.

"Just keep going!" Slade yelled back, "I'll jump at the moment I'm high enough!"

"That better be soon," Said Clay as the Nomu got one of its arms free and started swinging. The cloud and wood user redoubled their efforts with even more roots and cloud hands, but it was getting near impossible to hold the creature. At long last, Clay felt what little weight was on his cloud disappear as the sound of Slade yelling in glee reached their ears.

"HIGH DENSITY DROP!" Exclaimed Slade as he increased his weight to several tons. The Nomu screeched in terror one last time as the density shifter impacted feet first on his head, causing the ground to shake and crack as a mass of smoke was kicked up into the air. The pro hero and trainee looked on at the scene, noting that the sound of the creature's snarling had stopped.

"Yo Slade, you still alive in there," Clay called out as the form of a figure began staggering forward.

"Yeah I'm more or less fine," Said Slade as he walked out of the smoke, "That impact still kind of hurt though, and the blue prick managed to scorch my boots."

"What about the monster itself," Questioned Kamui Woods, "Do you think it's still alive?"

"In a way," said Slade as he turned around and pointed at the mangled head and body of the Nomu, "I landed on his head, so if he is still alive he's hopefully unconscious and too injured to cause any more trouble for the time being."

"Can't be too careful though," Said Kamui Woods as he shot out a number of roots to wrap up the Nomu's prone form. "I'll handle things here," Said Kamui Woods, "You two go make sure your friend is okay, and if there is any trouble, call me immediately."

"Yes sir!" They both replied before heading off on a new cloud created by Clay. It took them a couple of minutes to reach the designated location, but when they arrived, their suspicions were unfortunately confirmed. Midoriya had somehow gone and gotten himself into trouble again, this time in the form of getting carried off by a grey-skinned Nomu with wings.

"I guess it's two for one night," Slade quipped as they fly higher into the air. But suddenly, the winged Nomu stiffened in midair before falling towards the ground. But that wasn't the biggest surprise of the evening for the two of them. In the next instant, a red and white blur shot up as a crazed maniac wearing a gray vest and black pants with a red scarf stabbed the winged monster in the head.

"Is that who I think it is?" Clay questioned out loud as he finally got a good look at the man wearing a white mask with a hand on Midoriya's head.

"Exact match of the description you gave me," Said Slade, "That's Stain standing over our friend. Good news, though, I don't think he's noticed us."

"Then we got one shot at this," Said Clay as he formed his signature scarf out of more clouds. Down on the ground, Stain was yelling about false heroes and the like, going on and on like the fanatic that he was. Whatever he was saying, they didn't care as they both descended at high speed. Stain only had enough time to notice one of them as the cloud scarf snagged him around the neck and yanked him backwards, away from Midoriya. The hero-killer went tumbling several feet backwards before finally landing on his front.

"Clay, Slade, you're both here too!" Exclaimed a surprised Midoriya as they stood between him and Stain.

"We got your message," replied Slade, noticing for the first time how many people were actually there. A number of heroes and sidekicks, including Endeavor himself had shown up. What was more surprising was that Iida and Todoroki were also there.

"You damned false heroes!" Exclaimed Stain as he stood back up, his mask falling off of his face to reveal a man with practically no nose and red eyes. "I'll bath the streets in the blood of you hypocrites! I will take back the title of hero and make it right again! So just try and stop me pseudo heroes, because only one of you is worthy to kill me, the true hero ALL MIGHT!"

The sickly aura given off by Stain seemed to frighten a number of the heroes behind them. Midoriya, Todoroki and Iida seemed at a loss for what to do. As for Slade and Clay, the latter clenched his fist in anticipation of a vicious fight while Clay formed a spike, readying humming stratos. But he wouldn't be aiming for a disabling strike against a man like this. In order to snuff out that sickly aura, Clay would end his life if he so much as attempted to charge them.

But he never got the chance to find out as Stain suddenly dropped the knife he'd been holding. All of his maliciousness left him then as his eyes rolled into the back of his head. The dreaded hero killer was now unconscious standing up.

They would learn later that because of all of the damage he'd taken from Midoriya, Todoroki and Iida, the simple pull they'd given Stain had caused one of his broken ribs to puncture a lung. The fight had been over long before they'd gotten there, but it still left an impact on all of them. What was more, it made Clay and Slade even more serious about investigating the league. They had to know what had been the purpose behind the Nomu attack and why was it in the same location as the hero killer? What was more, they had to know what the league's next move was, and soon.

 **It seems Clay and Slade can't leave their friends alone for more than a day without something exploding. But the Nomus have been defeated and the infamous Stain is behind bars. But the league is still out there, and they've got plans for our heroes in training. In the mean time, I hope you all enjoyed the chapter and as always feel free to leave a comment or review about what you liked/disliked or an idea on what can make the story better. Be sure to stop in next time as Clay and Slade enter the Eight Ball Knuckles bar, with some unexpected tag alongs. 'Til next time.**


	34. The Eight Ball Hustle

**The Eight Ball Hustle**

Hosu General Hospital

Clay and Slade stood outside the door to the hospital room where Izuku, Iida, and Todoroki where currently staying. Their wounds weren't all that bad with a large but shallow cut on Clay's side and a few burns on Slade's legs which were easily treatable. That being said, they still had to sneak out to find their friends, who were currently being visited by the chief of Hosu city police, who just so happened to have the head of a hound dog. "Funny how the chief didn't stop by our room too," Said Clay as they waited.

"We never left our supervisor's side until he ordered us too," said Slade, "So we pretty much followed the rules, save for yanking Stain away from Midoriya, which can easily be overlooked given that he was pretty much beaten before we got there."

"I just hope they don't go reprimanding them for doing the only thing they could at a time like that," said Clay, "Iida made a mistake for sure, but even despite that his actions managed to save a life." Slade simply nodded his head at that as the tall form of the chief of police, followed by Iida's supervisor, a man with a blue outfit and a helmet with a fish fin named Manual and Midoriya's supervisor, a short old man in yellow and white tights with a domino mask and yellow cape, who'd they'd learned was called Gran Torino. They acknowledged each other with a quick nod before the two students headed in to check on their friends.

"Oh Clay, Slade," said Midoriya, "How are you guys feeling, I'd heard you got hurt by the Nomu's."

"Just a large cut on my end," said Clay as he lifted up his shirt for a quick second to show off some bandaging, "I got worse from the Nomu at the USJ."

"And I'm just sporting a few burns on my legs," said Slade, indicating the bandaged areas, "Truthfully, we can leave right now without any major trouble. But what about you guys, you look like you got into a fight with a blender and lost." This made Midoriya chuckle for a bit as he explained what all had happened. Midoriya had a few cuts on his arm and his leg was a bit messed up, while Iida had both of his arms in casts due to damage to his arms and hands, and Todoroki had taken some throwing knives to his left arm, which was now bandaged as well. As for the outcome of the fight with Stain, Midoriya told them that they wouldn't get any acknowledgement for taking down Stain and that the credit was going towards Endeavor.

"So basically after all the bull # # you guys went through," Clay summed up, "No one can know that you were the ones who took down Stain because then you'd have to be reprimanded for using your quirks to cause harm without a license, never mind the fact that you were fighting for your lives."

"It's the stance the department has to take," explained Iida, "Besides, they're right to a degree, when I confronted Stain it wasn't about saving Native. I just wanted revenge for my brother, I didn't care what the rules were. If not for Midoriya and Todoroki, I'd be dead right now."

"Well you're still alive," said Slade, "So as they say, live and learn right? Though since we're on the subject, wouldn't that mean you guys are already breaking the rules again by telling us all this?"

"I guess that would be the case ordinarily," said Todoroki, "But you two showed up on the scene as well. You know more or less how things went down so there'd be no point in keeping the other details from you. Besides, you're both adept at keeping secrets when need be."

"I suppose that's true," said Clay as Midoriya's phone began to ring. The green-haired boy's eyes lit up when he saw who was calling.

"Oh it's Uraraka," he said as he moved to get off his hospital bed, "That's right, I need to explain to everyone what the message I sent was about."

"Well we should probably be going too," Said Slade as he gripped his friend under the arm to help him out the door, "Your leg isn't healed up yet so at least let us help you out before we head off." Midoriya seemed reluctant at first, but eventually agreed as Slade helped him out the door, followed by Clay who was carrying the crutch he'd need to help him walk. They dropped him off near one of the hospital windows before heading out themselves, knowing the nurse would be looking for them, and after Izuku assured them multiple times that he could make it back to his room alright.

As they headed down the hall, Slade noticed Clay was smirking a bit. "What's funny?" Questioned Slade.

"Just chuckling at the irony," replied Clay, "We've been looking for an opening to head to the Eight Ball Knuckles and now because we both got a few scrapes against that Nomu, Kamui Woods is giving us some time off."

"So you're saying you want to hit the place tonight then," Slade surmised, "Well I don't think anyone would get suspicious if we went to see the sights a bit while we had the chance." Clay's reply to that was a nod with an even wider smirk.

That Night near the Eight Ball Knuckles

"Do you think they'll be surprised to see us," asked Momo as they walked down the street, "I mean it's not rude that we're showing up unannounced."

"It'll be fine," Jirou assured her as they turned a corner, "You said it yourself, Slade messaged you and said they were getting some time off, and since we missed them at the hospital the only other place we'll find them is the hero agency they're interning at." It was true, they'd both bumped into each other at the hospital, as Momo had gone to visit Slade and the others and Jirou just happened to be patrolling with her supervisor, Death Arms. As it turned out, their agencies weren't that far from each other, so they'd agreed to meet up and make sure that Clay and Slade were doing alright, a legitimate concern given the state that they'd found Todoroki, Iida and Midoriya in.

"I can't argue that it's convenient to a degree," said Momo, "Their internships just happen to be on the way back to our own internships, but you don't think we'll be interrupting anything?"

"Doubt it," said Jirou, "Those guys are supposed to be resting, in fact they should be happy that you and I are even taking the time to drop by and-what is it?" Jirou noticed that her friend was staring at something.

"I could be wrong about this," Said Momo as she pointed across the street, "But isn't that them right there?" Jirou looked where her classmate was indicating before squinting to make sure she wasn't seeing things. Sure enough, right across the street from them was Clay and Slade, both of them carrying duffel bags. What was even stranger was how they turned down a rather grimy looking alleyway. "Why are they out here?"

Jirou thought for a moment before crossing the crosswalk to the other side of the street. "Wait Jirou, where are you going?" Asked a confused Momo as she followed after her friend.

"To find out what those two are doing," replied Jirou as she stopped and glanced around the alley Clay and Slade had entered, "Aren't you the least bit curious?"

"Of course I'm curious," replied Momo, "But what if it's part of their internship. I know they said they had a day off but maybe Kamui Woods gave them a quick errand to run or something like that."

"Well if it is, we'll leave and come back later," said Jirou as she started down the alley with Momo following behind her.

"And if it turns out to be something else," Questioned Momo, still unsure if they should be spying on their friends.

"Then those two will have some explaining to do," said Jirou as they turned a few corners, glancing around the area every now and then to make sure they hadn't been noticed. As they continued down the path, the buildings around them started looking more run down and sketchy as the number of bars and other unsavory establishments started to increase. At one point, Clay and Slade turned down an alley with a neon sign over a door built into the wall before stopping suddenly. Jirou and Momo both backed up out of the alley as Jirou put her earphone jack to the wall.

"Gotta say," Jirou heard Slade say, "This place is kind of deserted for being a sketchy part of town."

"It's not supposed to get really sketchy until real late at night," replied Clay as he pulled out a leather jacket from the duffel bag he'd been carrying, "But right about now, at least one or two informants or recruiters should be skulking around."

"Yeah should be," said Slade as he put on a biker vest and pulled a mask over his head that made it appear like he had long, black hair and a veiny face, "That's the part that worries me. What's the case if we don't find anything?"

"Then we'll slip out unnoticed, no worse off than before," said Clay as he wrapped a blue bandana around his head, "Assuming we don't start a commotion. But if you want to back out, now's the last chance you're gonna get."

"And let you waltz in there alone," said Slade with a quirked eyebrow as he pulled some sleeves over his arms that made them also look like they had purple, sickly veins, "We've been over this, what kind of hero would I be if I just let you wander into a villain's den? If you're going in, so am I."

"I guess that settles it then," said Clay as he put some specialized sunglasses on his face, "No turning back now." With that, they approached the door to the bar. Jirou and Momo risked peaking around the corner as their classmates seemed to be talking to an opening in the doorway. Jirou heard Clay say a weird phrase before the door opened and the two of them were admitted in.

"So, what should we do now?" Questioned Momo, "We're hardly dressed the part for this area and I didn't hear what they said to get in." Jirou thought about it for a moment before answering.

"I heard what they said," replied Jirou, "And I can tell you my measurements." It took Momo only a moment to understand what was needed.

"Jirou, are you sure," Questioned Momo, "The way those two were talking, it could be dangerous."

"Yeah but it's kind of like what Slade said," replied Jirou, "What kind of heroes would we be if we just let our friends waltz in to bad situations. The only difference is, I can't go in there without your help." Momo thought for a moment, looking fairly uncertain, but finally, she gave an answer.

"I'll make the outfits we need," she said, "I'm going in with you." Jirou smiled in response to that. A few minutes later, a girl dressed as a biker and another girl in biker pants and a low cut top came around the corner and knocked on the door. A panel slid open to reveal an angry looking pair of eyes.

"Password," demanded the man on the other side of the door. There was the slightest bit of hesitation before he was given an answer.

"Stick a lime in my ## and call me margarita," said the purple-haired girl. The man grunted before closing the panel and opening the door, welcoming them both to the Eight Ball Knuckles Bar.

Inside the Eight Ball Knuckles

The inside of the bar was about what Clay had expected with a multitude of tables, booths, and a corner with a couple of poker tables and several pool tables. The main bar itself was on the other side, lined with several stools and behind it was a massive door meant for admitting people with gigantification quirks. Both he and Slade had agreed to split up after they entered with Slade walking around keeping his ears open while Clay sat down at the bar to begin asking questions. While the establishment itself hadn't been open that long, it already had a collection of sketchy looking characters of all shapes, sizes and misshapen heads roaming around.

The bartender was a dark-haired woman with two regular arms and numerous, insect-like legs which extended and retracted from her back as needed to perform multiple tasks like cleaning glasses, serving drinks, and wiping the bar down all at the same time. "Well you're new here," said the bartender, "What can I get you?"

"Something carbonated and non-alcoholic to start," said Clay, "And a bit of information."

"I can do at least one of those," said the bartender as she served Clay a sugary drink, "As for information, well it depends on what you want to know."

"I'm looking for the league of villains," said Clay. This seemed to get the bartender's attention as her other arms stopped moving and retreated into her back.

"Let me tell you something right now," said the bartender, "Those guys are off their rockers and I wouldn't recommend you going anywhere near them."

"Why, 'cause they're trying to take down All Might?" Questioned Clay.

"Because they're fanatics," said the bartender, "They recruited a whole bunch of guys from around this and other sketchy areas for the USJ attack and now one of the guys who did the recruiting before is back and he's looking for even crazier individuals than last time." Clay glanced back at one of the booths the bartender had indicated where a man with the head of a baboon was sitting, dressed in a gosh-awful purple button-up shirt and yellow vest, with black pants and corny shoes.

"It's a wonder who would say yes if that's what the recruiter looks like," commented Clay.

"Trust me, it'll save you a lot of time and agony if you just forget about it," said the bartender.

"The concern is greatly appreciated," replied Clay as he stood up, noticing that Slade was already talking to the recruiter, "I'll keep it in mind." The bartender simply rolled her eyes as Clay left a few yen for his drink and started towards the booth. He got halfway before he was stopped by someone incredibly familiar.

"Some fancy place you guys are visiting," said Jirou sarcastically, "You come here often?" Clay had to take a moment to piece together what was going on. Standing before him was Jirou, in a red bandana and a biker's jacket wearing blue jeans, some kind of cowboy boots and fingerless gloves.

"Jirou?!" Clay had to stop himself from yelling in surprise, "What are you doing here?"

"Finding out what you're doing here," said Jirou as she crossed her arms, "We saw you two heading to this part of town and slipping into this place, so spill it, what's going on?"

"Gathering information if you really must know," said Clay, trying to keep his voice at a high whisper, "Which has now become just a bit more complicated." Jirou was about to reply to that when Slade walked up.

"Hey Clay, we got a slight-oh you've noticed already," said Slade as he spotted Jirou next to him.

"Yes, we've just been discussing why things are now-oh dear," replied Clay, stopping when Momo stepped out from behind Slade. The model student had put on a red, low cut style shirt which resembled a corset and was wearing leather pants and high-heeled boots. She'd finished off her look by letting her hair down and donning a pair of sunglasses.

"I wasn't really sure what the best thing to wear was," said Momo, doing her best to hide her discomfort, "So I went off what I've seen on TV." Clay was brought back to his thoughts by an elbow from Jirou.

"Uh right, well you shouldn't have worn that," said Clay as he turned back to Jirou, "And you also shouldn't be here. It's risky enough with just me and Slade being here."

"Which brings me back to my original question," said Jirou, "Why are you two here in the first place, especially when you know it's dangerous?"

"Looking for information," explained Clay, "Because if you haven't noticed, just about everyone in here is a potential villain."

"And one of the recruiters for the league of villains is literally over there," said Slade, "If we can get him to talk then-." Slade was suddenly cut off by a yelp from Momo as one of the drunk patrons, a blond guy with antlers, attempted to grope her. Jirou, of course, reacted by using her earphone jack against him.

"Jirou wait!" Clay tried to say too late as the villain was struck in the face and sent tumbling into some of his apparent buddies. This led to another angry patron rushing at Jirou, but he was stopped by a clothesline maneuver from Slade, while Clay grabbed the arm of an extra furry one that had attempted to come at them from behind and flipped them over his shoulder. But when Clay looked back up, all of the patrons had stood up looking at them with a mix of anger and confusion. Feeling his head, Clay realized his sunglasses and bandana had been torn off when he tossed the fuzzy guy.

"Hey that's the cloud kid from the sports festival," said one of the patrons.

"And I think I recognize the corset girl," said the other, "She was there too." Several murmurs went through the crowd as they closed in on the four of them.

"You see," said Clay as he and the others got into fighting stances, with Slade ditching his mask, "This is exactly what I was afraid of." He didn't need to explain the next part, they were gonna have to fight to get out of there. At least that's what he thought until the massive door behind the bar swung open with surprising speed.

"WHAT IS GOING ON OUT HERE!" yelled a man as massive as All Might with grey skin, a bartender's uniform and a pair of fingerless gloves with the symbol of an eight ball on them, Eight Ball Knuckles himself. Everyone backed up immediately as the retired super villain stepped out from behind the bar. "You all know the rules," he said in a low, menacing voice, "If you're gonna fight take it outside or you get to deal with me and the rest of the staff."

"But sir," said the baboon-faced recruiter, who'd joined in the mob with the rest of the patrons, "These kids are from UA, heroes in training! They could be here to spy on us!"

"Rottweiler," Said Eight Ball, referring to the doorman "Did they know the password to get in?"

"Yes sir," replied Rottweiler, "And they haven't been causing any trouble until just a moment ago."

"Then as said, you all know the rules," said Eight Ball, "If you know the password then you're welcome here and if you're gonna fight, take it outside." The rest of the patrons looked at each other before moving to escort the four students outside. That is until Clay spoke up.

"Since we're going over the rules, I'd like to exercise one as well," Clay spoke up, "I call on the Eight Ball challenge." This started a practical uproar as the patrons and would be villains attempted to shout them down, only to be silenced by Eight Ball slamming his fist on the bar, causing it to splinter a bit.

"That's enough!" Yelled Eight Ball, "Must I bring out the rule book for all of you?!" The patrons backed up as the large man continued. "An eight ball challenge, once issued, must be carried out, otherwise you let the challenger walk out of here. Since you all seem to have conveniently forgotten this, I'll let the boy explain what happens next since he seems to have done his homework."

"Well if I'm not mistaken, we make wagers first," said Clay, "In this case, if we win our baboon friend over there tells us what we want to know and then we resort to fighting outside."

"Ha," laughed the recruiter, "Fine, but if we win we beat the ever-living $ # out of all of you and you agree not to fight back."

"What?!" Exclaimed Jirou as her earphone jacks rose defensively, "There's no way we'd agree to-."

"Done," said Clay, cutting off Jirou and earning an irritated scowl from her, "And just so we're clear, it's you we're challenging baboon face."

"Works for me," said the recruiter as he walked over to the largest pool table, "Now let's get this game over with."

"What's he talking about?" Questioned Momo, "Are you betting our lives on you winning a game?"

"Oh I won't be playing," said Clay as he grabbed a pool cue and held it out, "Slade is." Slade quirked an eyebrow at this, and if Momo wasn't mistaken, he actually looked a little unsure for once.

"Uh Clay, you realize I've never played pool in my life, right?" Slade said.

"Well neither have I," said Clay, "But what are the odds that guy's played either? Besides, it's just simple geometry and you're good at that right?"

"Yeah, when I'm applying it on paper," said Slade as he scratched the back of his head.

"It's not brain surgery kids," said the baboon headed recruiter, "You just knock a ball into a hole with another ball, simple enough even some of the dumbest grunts in here can do it, not that you really have a choice in the matter." Slade sighed, knowing it was true.

"Alright," he said, somewhat sheepishly, "Clay, hand me that pokin' stick." Clay tossed the cue to him and stood back with Momo and Jirou as Slade went to break.

"His knowledge of the game's terminology fills me with a lot of confidence," said Jirou sarcastically. Clay decided it best not to answer that as they watched Slade begin the game, but struggling to get the cue in a comfortable position before finally knocking the white ball into the gathered pool balls. The effect was less than spectacular as the formation drifted apart as opposed to actually breaking. A number of the patrons merely shook their heads as the baboon-headed patron took his turn, managing to knock a colored ball into one of the corner pockets.

"Is Slade allowed to use his quirk," Momo whispered as they watched Slade make another poor shot, "Because he might need it."

"Eight Ball Knuckles was a big time pool shark before he became a villain," Clay explained, "And after he retired, he made pool one of his main problem solvers in his bar, next to fighting outside. He still holds the game in such high esteem that he doesn't allow the use of any quirks that would influence it, a rule which he insures is followed with that beady-eyed weirdo hiding under the table behind them."

The two girls glanced at a short figure under a nearby table who resembled a lizard with a pair of funky goggles over his eyes. "Word has it that the guy can detect when and who is using a quirk, and you can probably guess what Eight Ball does if someone gets caught cheating." Clay cringed at another poor shot by Slade which actually knocked one of the other balls into a side pocket.

"Well if our classmate doesn't shape up soon," said Jirou as baboon head managed to sink another ball, "We'll be the one's getting the beat down, so any ideas to help him play better are very welcome right now."

"I may have one," said Clay as he wandered over to the bar and spoke to the insect-limbed bartender for a few minutes. Meanwhile, Jirou and Momo continued to watch with mounting fear, and disappointment as Slade nearly sank the eight ball on accident. 'I never thought I'd feel this sorry for Slade,' thought Momo, 'He's good at math, certainly, but I never thought his technique would be so bad at a game like this.'

'I can't believe my life is being decided by a bar game,' thought Jirou as she tried to hide her nervousness. In another moment, Clay walked back over, carrying a tray of drinks for some reason. "Uh, what's with the drinks?" Questioned Jirou with a raised eyebrow.

"Oh they're not alcoholic," said Clay as he sat them down, "But they might help steady Slade's nerves, that and a small order of sandwiches." Jirou grabbed him by the collar then, her frustration reaching a boiling point.

"We're about to be brutalized in a bar full of villains and you're ordering sandwiches!" Exclaimed Jirou, "Is this some kind of a joke to you?!" Clay was about to answer when Slade walked over.

"Hey I just kind of sunk the eight ball," said Slade, "The baboon guy is just alright at this game." Clay nodded as their opponent walked over.

"I'd call that game hero in training," said baboon head, "Now I think you owe us a beat down."

"Well actually," said Slade as he rubbed his head with a nervous expression on his face, "I think I'm getting better at this. Is there any chance we might could play again, make it a real game this time?" The baboon recruiter and a number of the other patrons laughed at this.

"You've got quite a lot of nerve asking for something like that," said the recruiter as soon as he was done laughing, "Why on earth would we play another game at this point?"

"What if we upped the wager," asked Clay, surprising Jirou, Momo and the rest of the patrons.

"What did you have in mind?" Questioned the baboon recruiter with a hand rubbing his chin.

"If we win, you not only tell us everything we want to know, you swear by the absolute rules of this bar that you'll let us walk out of here without any trouble and without following us."

"And should we win?" Questioned the baboon man, "Because I'm coming up short on what else we can do to you four."

"Well do you know the leader of the league," said Clay, "The freakazoid with all the hands for a costume. Well you see during the USJ attack I shot a couple of holes in 'em. No doubt he wants pay back for that, so if you win, y'all can beat us up and drag me to him for whatever reward he feels like giving you."

"Heh, if we're taking you then we might as well take all four of you," said Baboon face, "And this isn't negotiable if you want another game." Clay and the others were about to speak up until Slade held out an arm in front of them.

"I'll do it," said Slade as he turned to them with a nervous smile, "Just remember to root for me okay." Clay nodded as Momo and Jirou simply sighed before nodding as well.

"Since you've been so generous to make this deal," said Baboon face, "And because it's so entertaining to watch you suck at this, I'll let you break first again."

"O-okay," said Slade as he turned to his old friend, "Clay, whip out Marianne!" Slade's demeanor changed instantly as he handed off the pool cue to one of the patrons. Clay nodded as he opened up his biker jacket and pulled out two halves of a custom pool cue and screwed them together. A number of the villain's eyes widened as Slade tossed off his vest and sleeve disguise, leaving only a sleeveless, gray shirt as he accepted the pool cue and set up to take the first shot.

But this time, he had no trouble setting up and expertly broke the pool balls apart. In fact, Slade seemed to be enjoying himself as he knocked a couple of solid colored pool balls into the side and corner pockets. As for Clay, he was doing his best not to smirk as he sipped at the drink he'd ordered. "You two sure you don't want a drink or anything," asked Clay. Jirou and Momo could only shake their heads with flabbergasted expressions on their faces, especially when Slade's next shot bounced around several parts of the pool table to hit a single pool ball without even touching the others.

'It's like he's a whole different player,' thought Momo as Slade walked by and high-fived Clay before taking his next shot, 'He was struggling like an amateur before but now he's playing like he's been doing this for years.' A point which was greatly emphasized when Slade took another good shot while eating one of the sandwiches Clay had ordered. "Now you're just showing off," said Clay, with his mouth full of his own sandwich. Slade simply waved him off as he danced a little around the table and took his next shot.

By the end of the game, it was obvious who the better player was as Slade took his best shot yet and managed to sink not one or two, but three pool balls. An action which got applause from a laughing Clay and a number of groans from the other patrons. Even Eight Ball himself got a good laugh out of it as the game ended. "Alright," said Slade, "I'm up for another game if you are, Mr. Recruiter."

"Look, it's Braden," said the recruiter as he glanced at Eight Ball, "And no, I think I've dealt with enough humiliation for one evening. So what do you want to know?" At that moment, Eight Ball came over and ushered them into the back room.

"It's better suited for private conversations," said Eight Ball as Slade went on inside with Braden to begin questioning him, "Besides, I still need to give you two your winnings."

"Winnings?" Questioned Momo and Jirou at the same time. Clay rubbed the back of his head before answering.

"Well I kind of put down a bet on the second game when I was getting the food and drinks," Explained Clay, "I told the bartender that if we could get them to play a second game that she'd put the money down on Slade to win."

"In case you're wondering," said Eight Ball as he held out the stack of yen between his two massive fingers, "The odds were ten to one against your friend."

"Well if I'm doing my math right, that means," Clay flipped through the bills and added up the total. "I put down nine hundred yen and now we're leaving with nine thousand yen." Clay then split the bills and turned to his two classmates as they waited. After a few minutes Slade walked out, finished with his little interrogation, and took his half of the winnings. "So who's still hungry? Our treat for you two getting dragged into this."

The two girls glanced at each other before letting out a collective sigh. "Well since you asked," said Momo, "I did see this little place on the way here that looked kind of good."

"Just tell us one thing," said Jirou as she held up a finger, barely concealing the annoyance on her face. "WHY DID YOU HAVE TO SCARE US HALF TO DEATH?!" Clay and Slade could only laugh weakly at that before finally beginning their explanation.

 **Whew, a few close calls on this little excursion. But once again, our heroes have shown they've got more than just their quirks up their sleeves. Now that they know a little bit more of what the League is up to, what will be their next move, and what are they gonna tell their angry lady friends? But in the mean time, I hope you all enjoyed this little chapter and do feel free to leave a comment or review about what you thought was good, bad, or if an idea to help the story along pops into your head. Be sure to stop in next time as our heroes tour the Yaoyorozu mansion. 'Til then.**


	35. To Be Considered Friends

**To Be Considered Friends**

The City Streets: Nighttime

The restaurant they visited had been a rather nice little place, which was good considering where they'd come from. Clay and Slade explained that Slade had actually picked up pool while they were in the U.S. for two years and he'd loved it because of the application of physics he could use while playing. By the time they'd returned to Japan, Slade had actually managed a pool ball championship, which was how he came into possession of his custom pool cue that he'd dubbed, 'Marianne.' Despite the seriousness of that situation, however, Clay and Slade still found themselves, surprisingly, laughing their heads off while Momo and Jirou could only shake their heads. "And the looks on their faces when you said 'Clay, whip out Marianne,'" Said Clay while he was laughing, "Absolutely priceless, I had to struggle to keep a straight face for the second half of the game!"

"I still can't believe they bought my acting," replied Slade with his own set of laughter, "Oh no, I've never played pool in my life, Clay pass me a pokin' stick!" This made the both of them laugh even harder.

"I'm glad the two of you find the life and death situation we were just in so amusing," said Jirou, "I still can't believe you didn't at least give us a hint that Slade was actually a pool shark." The two friends managed to stifle their laughter long enough to answer.

"As we just finished explaining in the restaurant," said Clay, "We didn't plan on either of you being there and we didn't know if you'd have good poker faces. The fact that we had to explain the term 'poker face' to Momo tells me that if we had, at least one of you would've given our game away."

"I'm still surprised you two had all that planned out from the start," said Momo, "How did you know you'd be able to beat the recruiter?"

"We didn't," said Slade, "The eight ball challenge was a last resort in case we got found out. I did the whole 'I've never played' act to determine how good he was. Truthfully, I knew I could beat him halfway through the first game given how he was attempting to show off, but we needed to play a second game so we could get the stakes where we wanted them."

"So in other words," said Momo, "If we hadn't shown up, you two would've gotten what information you could have and walked out the door without a fuss."

"That was the general idea," said Clay, "While it's impossible to say how it would've gone if you two hadn't shown up, there was a reason we didn't let anyone else in class know about it."

"There's still one thing that bothers me though," said Jirou, "On our way out, that huge guy, Eight Ball Knuckles stopped us and asked where you got the information. What was that about?" Clay put his hand to his chin as he thought about how best to answer that.

Flashback: The Eight Ball Knuckles

They'd gotten the information they needed and where headed out the door when the massive form of Eight Ball Knuckles loomed behind them. "I do have one question before you kids go," said the massive ex-villain, "Where did you learn about this place? It keeps a low enough profile that it passes under a lot of hero's radars, but in you walked not only knowing the password but all the rules that went along with it."

Clay sighed before answering the question. "He said if anyone asked, that I just tell them it was a poltergeist with a candle." This actually got Eight Ball roaring with a short bit of laughter before he responded.

"I see," He said, "So it was you two that got him off that ship. I have to admit, even I was skeptical when he told me the story, but after watching that game it's no wonder he made a bet on you two."

"Not like he had a lot of other options," Slade pointed out, "We needed off that ship too."

"Well just know," Said Eight Ball, "The world's getting a bit more dangerous these days. I've been around long enough to see the world change and I can tell it's changing again. So you'd best be on your guard heroes, because whatever this league is, they're stepping up their game."

"We'll keep that in mind," said Clay as they exited the bar and headed out of the alley.

End Flashback

"Was he referring to who I think he was referring too," Questioned Jirou with a raised eyebrow.

"I was actually curious about that myself," said Momo, "At first I thought you might've been able to glean the information about the bar from one of your Uncle's contacts, but if that was the case why wouldn't you go into the bar with one of them. And since he referenced a ship, well there's only one instance that either of you ever mentioned freeing someone from a ship." Clay was about to answer when a limo pulled up to the curb where they were standing.

The window rolled down to reveal a middle-aged man in the classic uniform of a limo driver. "My apologies for arriving late mistress Yaoyorozu," said the driver, "There was a slight traffic jam on the route I chose." Everyone quirked an eyebrow at this as they turned to their classmate.

"Mistress?" They all questioned at the same time. Momo let out a nervous laugh before explaining.

"Oh yes, this is one of the driver's for my family," said Momo, "Me and Jirou had actually planned to visit the two of you at your internship then head over to my residence soon after. Would either of you care to come along?" Clay and Slade simply glanced at each other before shrugging in a 'why not' fashion. Everyone piled into the back of the limo, which was expectedly spacious as Momo directed the driver to take them to her house. No one said much of anything at first as Jirou stared dumbfounded around the limo while Clay and Slade couldn't help messing with one or two of the buttons.

"So," said Momo, "Should I call ahead and have the maids prepare tea for us? We have numerous brands from several countries to accommodate all kinds of tastes. I also realize that, while we did just eat, should anyone get hungry our chef is prepared with a fully furnished kitchen to prepare numerous dishes both large and small."

"I suddenly get the feeling this is a bad time to mention I don't like tea," said Clay as he rubbed the back of his head. The rest of the conversation from that point on was sparse, given that everyone felt it would be rude to inquire about Momo's family's wealth and the current topic about who'd given them the info about the bar had been forgotten. Several minutes later, they pulled up to a large gate which, after a quick word from the driver to an intercom on the side, opened up to admit them in. Needless to say, Momo's 'house' was a large mansion with a massive garden around it and a fountain at the front entrance with a roundabout at the front door where the driver dropped them.

"So I probably shouldn't be asking this," said Slade as they stood and looked up at the massive residence, "But what percent of Japan does your family own?"

"Oh it's nothing like that," said Momo, "My family simply owns numerous buildings and offices throughout the country that allow the business to function at a more efficient pace. We don't plan on trying to actually buy Japan."

"Too bad," said Jirou as they entered through a pair of overly expensive looking oak doors, "You could probably afford it." The inside of the mansion was, as expected, well furnished with more rooms than any of them bothered to count. The main hall was enormous, and had a rather large staircase leading up to the next floor. The kitchen was, honestly, the size of their classroom at U.A. and, as Momo had said, well equipped.

As for Momo's room, well, Clay could've kept all of his training equipment on one side of the room and still had enough room for all the other furnishings. Not to mention Momo's bed could've held all of them without being too crowded either, a fact Slade mentioned only to receive an elbow to his ribs for his trouble. Eventually, they found themselves in the dining room, which included a very long table with what must've been ten chairs as well as a piano and for some reason a chalkboard.

"Okay," said Clay as he sat down at the piano while everyone else took a seat at the table, "Anyone else got any funky secrets they want to tell about themselves. I mean y'all know Slade can play pool now and we've also discovered that Momo is basically a modern day princess. What about you Jirou, you actually a master at shooting dice or maybe a pro bowler?"

"No I think we should get back to you," said Jirou, "And why you thought it was a good idea to walk, knowingly, into a bar full of villains on the word of another villain?!"

"Okay, we're still on this topic," said Clay as he thought how best to explain it, "The information I got about the bar did come from Ghoul Fire. The slippery prick contacted me at my house with the help of another guy's quirk which basically lets an image of him appear wherever he wants. According to him, the league attempted to recruit him after transporting him out of his little hideaway in Europe."

"And you went in anyway, not once assuming that it might've been a trap?" Questioned Jirou with a raised eyebrow. Clay rubbed the bridge of his nose at this question, given that he'd basically already had this conversation once before with Slade.

"Believe me, if Ghoul Fire wanted me dead he would've come personally," replied Clay, "And if he was sending us to a trap for the league of villains then he would've made it sound like we would definitely get information. Not to mention, there would've been no need for him to explain all of the rules of the bar if he just needed us to go in there. Instead he actually said there was a low chance of obtaining information and gave us a number of ways to get out of there if a problem occurred."

"Wait, you weren't even sure that the recruiter you found was even going to be there?" Questioned Momo with a good bit of surprise in your voice, "And you still took the risk of going in there?"

"'One should devote themselves wholeheartedly to learning,' right," said Clay, using a phrase Momo had said at the start of the year.

"Not at the risk of your lives!" Exclaimed Momo, "If you had been found out by someone besides us, the both of you could've very well been expelled from U.A. and that's assuming you didn't get killed in the process!"

"That's why we planned carefully," said Slade as he crossed his arms, "We got disguises, went in during a time when the crowd was a little lighter and obeyed all the rules of the bar. We also had signals and a few escape routes planned in case Eight Ball decided it was the one time he wasn't going to allow his little challenge."

"But why did it have to be you two," Questioned Jirou, "You could've just told all of this information to the pros and let them handle it."

"Because the doorman, Rottweiler, could pick out anyone on the no admittance list," said Clay, "Which included a number of pros. Which ones, no idea but on the off chance one of the wrong pros went in there, they'd be going up against Eight Ball Knuckles, his staff and whoever else felt like picking a fight. Sure it was a big risk for us to go in there, but we did the math and figured it'd be more risky and less productive if a known pro went in there."

"But even so," said Momo, "You could've just ignored it. The fact that you just happened to find a recruiter at that time was pure luck."

"The league is still out there," said Slade, "they've attacked twice now, both times people got hurt. What's more they attacked our school and hurt our friends and they're not planning on stopping any time soon. Maybe you've forgotten, but we're not going into an easy profession, so we need to get a leg up on them for once, and now thanks to our little escapade, we have some actual information about their next move."

Jirou looked like she wanted to argue more, but instead she just sighed before asking the next question. "In all your planning, did you figure out a way to pass along this info without getting yourselves in trouble?"

"It was one of the first things we thought of," said Clay, "Just write up an anonymous tip and send it in to the police and to principal Nedzu. That way we still get the information to them while avoiding explaining where we got it, which is also good for you two given that you followed us in there."

"Oh no he's right!" Exclaimed Momo, "Since we were there too we'd receive guilt by association even if we went in to get them out of there. None of us are officially heroes or even have our provisional licenses, so if we told on them our school career might be over too!" A fairly awkward silence passed between them before anyone spoke.

"So, I guess tonight will be our little secret then," Said Slade, "You don't rat us out and we don't take you down with us."

"Now come on Slade," Commented Clay, "We're not blackmailing anyone. If we're gonna go down for this, we're not dragging any of our friends with us." Clay turned back to the two girls, "It's up to you two. If you think we should be reported for this, we won't stop you." The two girls seemed to think about it for a good bit of time, which admittedly did make Clay a little nervous, not that he was going to tell them that.

Finally, Jirou groaned angrily before declaring their decision. "I'm not sure what you two think of me," Said Jirou, "But I can't really say I know either of you well enough to consider you serious friends. In fact, this is the longest conversation I've had with either of you. The problem is, if I rat the two of you out and you do get expelled, that's it, there go two of my classmates who might've turned out to be alright guys. I don't think I can rock with that."

"And to be fair," added Momo, "It was kind of our fault that the situation got as bad as it did, and you did get us all out of there. So I guess we owe you that much." Clay and Slade smiled at this.

"I guess we can pretty much call that even," said Slade, "And as for not knowing us all that well, what would you like to know first?"

"Well," replied Jirou, "We already know one of Slade's hobbies, so what's one of yours Clay?" The cloud user couldn't help but smirk a bit as he turned around and played a quick series of notes on the piano.

"I do a bit of jazz and rhythm and blues on the keyboard," said Clay, "As well as a bit of rock and roll. Stuff that's got a good tempo to it."

"Okay," said Jirou, "Play a bit of rock and roll, maybe something a little old school." Clay thought for a moment before he played, in his opinion, a rather fitting piano solo. The part lasted for nearly a minute before he ended it. Momo gave a soft applause, which was shortly followed by Jirou who admitted that it wasn't too bad.

"Was that the piano part from 'My Woman from Tokyo?'" Questioned Jirou.

"I'm surprised you recognized it," said Clay, "It's kind of hard to pick up without the guitar part."

"We can fix that," said Slade, "If Momo's got a music room or something around here with some guitars."

"You play guitar as well?" Questioned Momo with a bit of surprise in her voice, "Is that something else you picked up in America?"

"Nah," replied Slade, "I've been playing guitar as a hobby since middle school. Me and Clay liked to do jam sessions every now and then along with comparing comic books and sparring."

"Jam sessions huh," said Jirou with a smirk and a raised eyebrow, "Well if Momo's willing, I say we see what you got." Everyone turned to Momo who simply sighed as she got up and directed them to another room in the mansion.

"As it so happens," said Momo, "There is a music room where I practice piano. The acoustics are quite phenomenal." Everyone else smiled at that as she led the way. The next couple of hours were filled with the four of them playing assorted tunes, songs and generally showing off their varying degrees of musical ability. They laughed, they poked fun at each other, and they learned quite a bit they'd never known about each other despite being in the same classroom for months.

Of course as they say, all good things must come to an end and such was the case as the hours began to approach the morning. Both Slade and Clay had to head back to their internships, or as Slade liked to call him 'James Woods Sensei,' and so did Momo and Jirou. But they made a point of exchanging numbers on their way out, with both girls telling Clay and Slade to not be so secretive next time and that if they needed a hand, to give them a call. All in all, Clay thought the night ended pretty well all things considered.

The League of Villains Bar

'Blast that Stain,' thought Shigaraki angrily as he scratched at his neck with his right hand, 'Because of his capture, my Nomus hardly got a mention despite all the mayhem they caused. Not to mention one of my recruiters just contacted us and said that some U.A. students were poking around one of the bars where we recruited some of the villains for the USJ attack. They don't know where we are yet but they're much closer than they were before.' Shigaraki slammed his fist down on the table, drawing the attention of his bartender accomplice.

"What seems to be troubling you young master?" Questioned Kurogiri, his face unreadable behind the cloud of purple and black mist which only showed his glowing yellow eyes.

"Just irritated at the current state of things," replied Shigaraki, "Have we gotten any replies from the Add we've sent out?"

"Numerous ones actually," replied Kurogiri, "And we're using several specialized methods to weed out the feeble criminals. I've asked the recruiters to send them over as soon as possible once they've been cleared for our elite squad." As if on cue, the door opened up to reveal a man in a purple suit with blond hair. Like the baboon-head that Clay and Slade had encountered, this man was a recruiter as well but much higher on the chain of command. "Ah, perfect timing Giran, we were just discussing the progress of recruitment."

"Well in that case, I've got some good news," replied the head recruiter as he stepped aside to allow another individual to enter, "You said one of the recruits for the elite squad absolutely had to be a flyer of some sort that packed a punch. Well this guy does both, go ahead introduce yourself." The villain nodded as they stepped forward, revealing their full appearance. He was wearing specialized, purple and silver armor that resembled a hero known as Air Jet with what was unmistakably a jet pack on his back. Adorning his head was a helmet with a specialized visor that helped him fly at high speeds at all hours of the day.

"You may call me Ballistic M.," said the jet pack villain, "And I heard you were gonna hit U.A. in an effort to take down the symbol of peace."

"Not just the symbol of peace," said Shigaraki as he pulled out a few photos, "We're going to strike at the heart of this system of government sponsored violence by showing how powerless their so-called 'heroes' actually are. To do that, we'll be targeting some of U.A.'s prestigious students." Shigaraki laid the photos down on the table as Ballistic M. took a look at them. "That first one is the prime target and must be taken in alive. I'm still deciding what to do with that one with the messy green hair. But the reason we need a guy like you is for the one in the third picture."

"I recognize this one," said the jet pack villain, "He's got some tricks alright if the footage from the sports festival is to be believed."

"He is a target of opportunity," said Shigaraki, "He did a bit of damage to me and my men during the USJ incident and I'd very much like to see him dead. For now we're still gathering our forces and awaiting the time to strike, but when we do, can I count on you to take out him and any other obstacles in our way?" A sadistic smile crossed Ballistic M.'s face as he answered.

"Oh I can take him out alright," said the jetpack villain, "Just give me the word and I'll light up the sky."

 **As suspected, the league is moving once again and this time they're accepting heavy hitters. What will their next move be? In the mean time, I hope you all enjoyed this little chapter as we move towards the end of U.A.'s first semester. As always, feel free to leave a comment or a review about what you like/dislike or any ideas you might have to help improve the story. Be sure to stop in next time as everyone compares internships and the final exams are announced. 'Til next time.**


	36. Today's Class: Rooftop Ragin'

**Today's Class: Rooftop Ragin'**

U. A. High: Returning From Internships

Clay had to say, all in all, he felt pretty good about how the internships turned out. They accomplished every task that Kamui Woods asked of them and learned a good number of useful tips as well. Clay's control over his clouds had definitely improved, allowing him to make more complex designs with his quirk. As for Slade, he came away with a whole new appreciation for the martial arts, or at least the martial arts that involved throwing.

His newfound enjoyment of it was something he was currently sharing with Momo as he explained one of the more complex submission maneuvers he'd been taught. Of course, what made the internship the most successful, in Clay's opinion, was the delivery of the information they'd learned at the Eight Ball Knuckles. As promised, they'd sent in the info by anonymous letter, making sure to avoid getting their own finger prints on it and insuring that it didn't sound like someone pulling a prank. Now Clay knew better than to simply relax, given that the league was still out there, but he did allow himself to feel a bit of satisfaction that they'd come a step closer to shutting them down.

Another noticeable change from the internships, he and Jirou suddenly had quite a bit to talk about. "So wait, that's how you found out what your quirk could do?" Questioned Clay with a raised eyebrow.

"Yep," replied Jirou, "I was actually testing how strong my earphone jacks were by stabbing what I thought was an empty cheese wiz can. Spoiler alert, it wasn't as empty as I thought it was."

"Then you used your heartbeat murmur trick on accident and boom," Clay finished the story, "instant cheese wiz decoration."

"Bingo," said Jirou with a smile as they laughed a bit at the memory. Though this little bit of laughter was quickly overshadowed when Bakugou walked into class with his hair combed in a nice and neat fashion instead of its usual messy look. It was the type of hairdo you'd expect from one of those well-groomed, high class kids and it didn't fit him at all. Needless to say, Clay, Slade and a number of the other students in class 1A were laughing so hard their sides hurt.

"I got it combed like this so much it's stuck this way!" Bakugou exclaimed angrily through gritted teeth. It was then that his hair actually sprang back into its usual style, causing everyone to laugh even harder.

While half the class was busy laughing hysterically, the other half was discussing their internships. Asui had spent most of her time training with a nautical hero crew, though she did see some action when she helped stop some drug runners. Jirou had actually helped provide some logistical support for Death Arms while he and his sidekick took out the villains. Momo had basically been part of Uwabami's entourage, keeping her schedule and the like with Kendo from class 1B.

Mina apparently hadn't done much more than train, given her vocal jealousy about the other's getting to fight villains. As for Uraraka, she now had the air of someone who couldn't wait to hit a punching bag thanks to her learning what she called 'Gun head martial arts' at her internship. As for Mineta, all they got out of him was that Mt. Lady wasn't a lot of fun to work for. But the one's that drew the most attention out of everyone was Iida, Todoroki, and Midoriya.

"Man," said Kirishima when the attention was turned on the three students, "It's a good thing Endeavor was there to save you guys, talk about a close call."

"Yeah it was," said Todoroki in his usual monotone voice, though Clay couldn't help but notice that his eyes were a bit downcast. Not surprising really, given that the five of them had to lie about what really happened with Stain's capture.

"It's a good thing he is captured," said Ojiro, "The news has been saying he had a possible connection to the league of villains. I don't even wanna think about what could've happened if he'd been part of the USJ attack."

"I doubt a guy like that would want anything to do with the league of villains," said Slade, drawing a few confused glances. "The league's whole goal seems to be about taking out All Might, but Stain proclaimed that the only worthy hero who could bring him down was All Might. So in a way their goals kinda contradict each other."

"Well if that video on the internet is anything to go by, he does seem to be kind of a loner," said Kaminari, "But he's super tenacious, kind of like one of those cool anti-heroes or-."

"Kaminari!" Exclaimed Midoriya, addressing his classmate's extreme lack of tact. Kaminari swiftly apologized, just now remembering that it was because of Stain that Iida's brother could no longer perform hero work.

"No it's fine," said Iida in a bit of a reserved tone as he examined his damaged left hand. "His tenacity and raw ability are impressive, so it's understandable some might think of him as cool. But instead of using his abilities to truly contribute to the world, he let his disillusionment with society lead him to commit murder multiple times and that is something that cannot be condoned. So, to prevent any more tragedies like mine, I WILL BECOME A MODEL HERO!" Now everyone, in your seats because class has begun!"

'And just like that, he's back to his old self,' thought Clay as he sat down at his assigned seat. Class started without a hitch from that point on and the day progressed surprisingly quickly. Before they knew it, hero basic training class had started and All Might wasted no time in getting them down to a training ground they'd yet to visit.

Field Gamma: Factory Training Ground

"Ha ha ha, I am here!" proclaimed All Might with his usual winning smile as they all gathered around him in their hero costumes, "It certainly feels like a while since I got to see all of you, so welcome back to hero basic training. Today's exercise will be a little race to give you all a chance to apply what you learned during your internships. The goal will be to rescue the person trapped in the center."

"Sir," said Iida, quick as always to interrupt an explanation to ask a question that he felt needed to be answered immediately, "If this is a rescue exercise, would it not be more prudent to be at the USJ?"

"If this were a disaster scenario, yes," Replied All Might, "But as I said earlier this is a race. Today you'll be going through field gamma, a simulation of a large factory area that forms a virtual labyrinth that you'll need to navigate. You'll be competing in groups of five and each person will start off at a different point on the outskirts. The rescuee, being me in this case, will send a distress signal and the first one to reach me wins! But try to keep the property damage low if at all possible."

"Why are you glancing at me when you say that?" Questioned an annoyed Bakugou.

"Gee I wonder," both Clay and Slade stated sarcastically, receiving the usual death glare from the exploding quirk user. Shortly after that, All Might picked the first group to get into position, which just happened to include their friend Izuku.

"Hey Midoriya," whispered Clay as he was walking by, "You got that new trick you mentioned down?"

"I don't know what you're, oh you mean my full-." Clay silenced him with a quick jab to his arm.

"I know what it's called, I mean how far along is it? I know you can't go a hundred percent, but can you maintain it?"

"Yeah I can maintain it," said Midoriya, "For a little while anyway, but you see there's still a number of factors involved such as balance, timing, not to mention I've only got a limited number of moves I've come up with so far, then there's-."

"Race now, mutter later," said Clay, halting his friend before he got too carried away with his thoughts again, "Just remember to watch your step when you push off and when you land or it could wind up getting embarrassing."

"Oh right, can do," said Midoriya as he rushed off to get to his starting point. Clay retreated to be with the rest of the students around a large screen which showed where everyone in the first group was.

"Isn't Iida still injured," Kaminari pointed out, "I mean even if he's up and about, the guy probably shouldn't be doing this kind of stuff just yet."

"Most of the injuries he received from Stain were to his arms," said Slade, having heard the full story while they were at the hospital, "Given his quirk, that's not really a problem so long as he doesn't try to grab onto any ledges. Even then, he still has full use of his right hand in the event of an emergency."

"It'll still be tough," said Kirishima, "Everyone else in this group has really good mobility."

"Except for Midoriya," Momo pointed out, "His quirk could allow him to make one good jump, maybe two if he only used one leg each but that would be it."

"Yeah after that he won't even be able to stand," said Jirou, "Given that his quirk breaks his bones every time he uses it."

"That's not entirely true," said Slade, earning confused glances for the second time that day, "He only breaks his bones when he's using his quirk at a higher percentage than his body can currently handle. With some trial and error, mostly error, he's learned what percentage he can use without breaking his bones."

"Wait, you're saying he can avoid breaking his bones?" Questioned Kirishima.

"Well my money's still on Sero," said Kaminari, "His quirk is practically built for a course like this."

"If that's the case then I'm betting on Ojiro," said Kirishima, "That karate flipping tail is something else."

"I bet on Ashido because of her athletic bod," said Mineta, causing most everyone to roll their eyes.

"I still think Iida's probably got this," said Uraraka, "Like Slade said, his legs are still in pretty good shape."

"So who are you betting on," asked Jirou as Clay simply crossed his arms, thinking how best to phrase his answer.

"I simply bet that everyone will be surprised," Clay finally said as he did his best not to smirk. Just then, the horn sounded for the race to begin. No one wasted anytime as they sped or leapt towards the center of the training area with their respective quirks. Sero took an early lead thanks to his tape allowing him to grab onto the numerous pipes which ran between the buildings and avoid any obstacles on the ground. Mina used her acid to slide along the pipes while Ojiro leapt from rooftop to rooftop by propelling himself with his tail.

As for Iida, he used his engine legs to race along the ground at high speed. The race was going exactly as most of the class expected, until a green blur shot past Sero. The surprise on everyone else's face brought a smile to Clay's face. The new leader in the race, jumping from pipe to pipe with his body sparking green, electrical energy was none other than. "MIDORIYA!" Everyone but Clay and Slade exclaimed.

"Why isn't he breaking his bones," questioned Kirishima as they watched the race continue to unfold, "Normally he could only do something like that once." Jirou turned to Clay then with a bit of a frown on her face.

"Alright spill it you two," said Jirou as everyone else turned to them, "You knew he could do this didn't you?"

"I've never actually seen him use it until now," said Clay, "But as you've no doubt noticed, his quirk is enveloping his whole body instead of just one or two limbs. He calls it 'Full Cowl' and currently he's only using his quirk at about five percent if I remember correctly, enough to increase his physical abilities but not enough to break his bones from the backlash. When he learned to use it during the internship, he was excitedly texting me and Slade, not to mention Todoroki and Iida got a good look at it at one point as well."

"That's true," Todoroki said, speaking up for the first time since the training started, "But I never knew he could propel himself like that. I only saw him use it in bursts, it's truly impress-." It was at that moment that Midoriya's foot slipped on a pipe and the green-haired boy went plummeting down to a nearby roof.

"Ah, I though you told him to watch his footing," groaned Slade as they both watched the amazing spectacle turn into an embarrassing mishap.

"I did," replied Clay as he rubbed the bridge of his nose, "What is the point of giving advice if you don't heed it?" The good news was that Midoriya was still able to finish the race, but he came in basically last because of his little slip up, giving Sero the win for this particular competition. 'Well at least he's shown a good bit of improvement,' thought Clay as he watched the first group exit before being called to enter the training ground with the rest of his group.

Group two for training consisted of him, Kirishima, Mineta, Hagakure and (unfortunately) Bakugou. 'This match up seems almost too one-sided,' Clay thought as he started a little farther back than everyone else, 'I kind of wonder what they were thinking when they did the match ups, probably a luck of the draw kind of thing again.' Whatever the case, Clay didn't have a lot of time to dwell on it as the starting bell sounded, prompting him to immediately form his signature flying cloud underneath his feet and take off. 'Alright, most everyone else has to move along on foot, so truthfully I've only got one person I actually need to worry about and he's,' the sound of quickly approaching explosions told him exactly where his main contender was.

"Well if it isn't Lord Explosion Murder," Clay called out to the swiftly approaching blond, "I never got around to mentioning it at the time, but that sounds like the gamer tag of some edgy nine year old-HOLY $ # !" Clay pulled his cloud higher into the air, but he was half a second too late as Bakugou came charging at him and blasted his cloud away with one of his explosions.

"Out of my way loser!" Sneered the angry student as he tried to jet away. Clay reflexively fired out a cloud tendril from his hand to latch onto a nearby pipe, pulling him through the air as he managed to right himself. 'Now that was uncalled for,' thought Clay as he fired off another tendril to sling himself forward while also forming his cloud gauntlets and greaves. "I said beat it!"

Bakugou turned in midair to fire another explosion at Clay, but the cloud user was ready this time as he dove under the blast and grabbed Bakugou's ankle with an enlarged cloud hand on a cloud rope, stopping his momentum. "Ever hear of good sportsmanship?!" Clay asked as he yanked his racing opponent downward through the air, quickly releasing his ankle as he did so. The explosion quirk user quickly righted himself and shot back up with multiple blasts as he found himself behind the cloud user once again.

"You're not getting away!" Exclaimed the blond as he rocketed towards Clay before aiming another explosion in his direction. 'I can with help,' thought Clay as he reformed his clouds on his feet like a surfboard, 'Gotta angle this just right.' As the explosion impacted against the bottom of his cloud-made board, Clay allowed himself to be pushed forward, doing his best to keep his cloud together to take the brunt of the explosion.

Outside the Training Ground

"What in the world is Bakugou doing?" Questioned Sero as he and everyone else watched the race unfold.

"It looks like he just sent Clay flying forward even faster," said Slade, "Not really his best move so far given that this is a race and not a fight."

"Looks like someone forgot to tell him that," Said Mina, "And now he's trying to blow him up again."

"It's possible he's trying to knock out the only real competition there is in this race," surmised Momo, "Everyone else basically has to run on foot given that their quirks don't really lend to mobility. The big difference between Bakugou and Clay's mobility is that Bakugou has to rely on bursts of speed and though he can change direction with his explosions, performing several direction changes at one time will slow him down. Clay, on the other hand, can maintain a constant speed and adjust his position in numerous ways while also using his quirk to soften his landing and even slingshot himself forward."

"So long story short," Said Ojiro as they watched Clay avoid another head on explosion, "Bakugou's making absolutely sure he can win this race by taking out Clay."

"Slade," Midoriya whispered as he continued to watch the screen, "Why do you think he's doing this? I know you and Clay were never able to get along with him, but this seems."

"A bit much," Slade finished for Midoriya, "I won't pretend to be an expert in what Bakugou's thinking, but if I had to guess, he's not doing this because of Clay. He's doing this because of you?"

"Me?" Questioned Midoriya, "But why in the world would he be doing this to Clay because of me?"

"Your new little trick, Full Cowl," Said Slade, "Before you left for your internship, you had little control over your quirk and seemed to break your bones with every use. Then you come back a week later able to use it without breaking yourself and leaping around with, almost, no problem. In the eyes of someone like Bakugou, who's seen you as little more than a nuisance up to this point, it's almost incomprehensible."

"But he leaps around like that all the time," said Midoriya, "In fact the moves I used were just how I saw him leaping around."

"That's not exactly the point," Said Slade, "as Clay and I have tried to explain to you before, Bakugou's an arrogant prick who likes to look down on others. This means that it's hard if not nearly impossible for him to accept when someone he dismisses gets better. Right now I imagine he's lashing out at Clay more to prove to himself that he's still ahead of you, or simply because he's pissed and Clay's the closest thing he's got to take his anger out on." Midoriya seemed to process this as he watched Clay yank himself out of another blast.

Training Ground Gamma

"For the millionth time," said Clay as he leapt off a building using his clouds before shifting position in the air to avoid another head on blast from Bakugou, "It would do you and more importantly everyone else-," Clay grabbed his opponent's right arm and head as he shifted around behind him, "A lot of good if you just chilled the $ % out already!" The cloud user emphasized his point by spinning and tossing Bakugou away, a task made far easier by the fact that they were still in midair. The explosion quirk user simply used another blast to soften his landing on a building underneath them as Clay landed on a taller one right across what passed for a street in this simulation of a city. "Look I don't know what you think you're accomplishing by attacking me in this race, but we both know that I'm not the cause of your little tantrum."

"Just shut up and fight you damn wuss!" Bakugou yelled back as he blasted forward with another attack, apparently abandoning racing altogether to bring him down. Clay leapt into the air to avoid the attack, his clouds allowing him to float as he retaliated with a cloud in the shape of a spike ball. But his opponent's reflexes were too quick as he blasted forward and then upwards with another head on attack. Clay nearly rolled his eyes at the predictable nature of the attack, or at least he would have if Bakugou didn't use his attacking hand to suddenly move to the left before aiming another blast at his right side.

Clay managed to drop downwards while also forming a shield with his quirk to avoid the brunt of the blast, though he still got thrown for a loop before righting himself as he landed on another building. He didn't have a lot of time to recover as Bakugou came down with another explosion, which he was able to dodge by leaping back, launching a counter attack in the form of a cloud net. But it was blown to pieces by another blast from his opponent, only succeeding in keeping him from following up another attack. "Come on, you can do better than this Cero!" Exclaimed Bakugou as he emerged from the smoke cloud he just created, "Fight me!"

"I already have," remarked Clay with a swift motion of his hand. In the next instant, another cloud net sprouted out from behind Bakugou, this one successfully managing to tangle him up by binding his arms and torso. "That little spike ball I shot earlier didn't just evaporate after it missed you, I kept it floating around until I saw an opening."

"Do you really think this can hold me?!" Snarled Bakugou as he struggled against the cloud made bindings, trying to angle his hand in a way to use an explosion to free himself.

"Doesn't need to hold you for long," said Clay as he crossed his arms, "Just long enough for me to get my two cents in on this latest douche bag move, not that I expect you to listen, but I'm gonna talk anyway." Bakugou simply growled in response to this as he continued to struggle. "Now anyway, we both know what you're really angry at and that's Midoriya, why, because he got better over the internship. Some might even say he's leagues better than before, and that sort of thing just doesn't compute in your brain."

The explosion quirk user stopped his struggling for a second, meaning Clay had probably hit the nail on the head. "So, your whole plan here now is not only winning the race but also proving that you're a better combatant than me so you can feel a little bit of reassurance about where you stand in comparison."

Bakugou simply scoffed as he ignited two small explosions, ridding himself of the cloud net as he charged forward. Clay dodged the attack with his clouds as he flew upwards several feet. "Fine, don't admit your problems, but if you really want to throw down, name a time and place that isn't here," Clay called back as he dove down in between the buildings and headed towards the center of the training ground. Bakugou, obviously irritated at Clay's comments and his continued refusal to fight, gave chase as he propelled himself after the cloud user with his explosions.

It was a lot narrower with several more pipes and industrial towers crowding the middle of the buildings, forcing Clay to switch to navigating using his gauntlets and greaves to not only maneuver but occasionally kick off a wall or set of pipes. "Don't think you can get away!" Yelled Bakugou as he followed close behind Clay, having to use weaker and more numerous explosions to move around in the cramped spaces. They took several twists and turns as Clay shot back the occasional cloud disc or cloud screen. But his pursuer was tenacious as ever and simply dodged around or blasted the small obstacles that were thrown at him.

'Gonna have to catch him off guard,' thought Clay as he spotted a little detour, 'that just might work.' Flipping around and leaping off a wall, he made a sharp turn towards a building with a large window. With a swift movement of his hands, Clay gathered his clouds around him as he increased speed. 'Sorry about this All Might sensei,' he thought as he crashed through the window before bailing out of the side of the cloud, allowing it to continue forward.

Not hardly two seconds later, Bakugou shot in through the window with an outstretched hand as he fired an explosion that blasted the cloud away without stopping too much of his momentum. What he failed to realize in time was that on the other side of the cloud was another window, which had remained somewhat intact thanks to Clay's cloud. The result saw the blond crashing through the window, with a multitude of swears, before plummeting down to street level. Clay quickly floated outside the window, the sound of another blast telling him Bakugou had righted himself in time.

"You really do need to get your eyes checked," Clay called down as he moved backwards on his cloud, "I hear tunnel vision can be quite detrimental if you're not careful!" His comment was met with another shout of anger as Bakugou flew up with a massive blast. Clay just managed to jump off his cloud in time as he produced a long cloud cloth which he wrapped around a nearby pipe and used it to pull himself away.

"It's even worse if that vision is always looking down on others," said Clay as he landed, with Bakugou racing towards him, "Because if you never look up." Clay waited, not moving a muscle as his opponent closed the distance at frightening speed, before suddenly stopping, or rather, he was stopped by All Might's massive hand. "You'll miss what's right in front of you."

"That's enough young Bakugou," said All Might in his usual booming voice, "The race is over." The explosion quirk student stopped struggling then as he realized where they were, the finish line for the race. And Clay had landed first.

"Thanks for the save Sensei," said Clay as he dusted himself off a bit and removed his mask, "Though I will admit some of his temper right now is probably my fault, but only some of it."

"You played a bit of a dangerous game there," said All Might as he led the still simmering Bakugou off to the side, "How'd you know he wouldn't fire off a blast at you once I stopped him?"

"I didn't," replied Clay, "I just hoped that the surprise of you stopping him would be enough to keep him from doing something stupid."

"Well in the future, try not to provoke each other," said All Might as he also turned his gaze on Bakugou, "This is still a school environment and causing injury simply to win a training exercise is strictly prohibited."

"I can't make any promises," said Clay with a shrug, "But I'll see what I can do." Bakugou simply barked out a quick 'whatever' before glaring in a different direction.

"Good," said All Might as he pulled out a first place sash, "Now let's congratulate our winner, Clay Cero!" The cloud user accepted it humbly as everyone else showed up. All Might then proceeded to congratulate everyone else on their improvement before calling in the next group.

Class 1A: Some Time Later

The rest of the group races went off without any problem, and Slade even managed to come in second place behind Todoroki of all people thanks to the acrobatics he'd picked up watching Kamui Woods. As for Bakugou, he went back to grumbling and isolating himself, like he usually does when he gets pissed but can't do much about it. On the upside, there was an entertaining moment in the locker room where Mineta discovered a hole for peeping into the girl's side, only to quickly get his eye stabbed by Jirou's earphone jack from the other side.

It was shortly after that Clay and Slade were stopped in the hall by Midoriya, who'd waited until everyone else was out of earshot before asking them a couple of questions. "Clay," said Midoriya, "I was wondering, how'd you know Bakugou's movements so well? It seemed to me like he was attacking completely erratically."

"You're not the only one who's been watching how he fights," replied Clay, "I may not be big on the whole rivalry thing, but that doesn't mean I don't pay attention to people I might duke it out with one day. One thing I've noticed is that his attacks become more direct and less strategic when he gets all emotional, personally I'm surprised no one else has tried riling him up. Anyway, he falls back on more basic attacks and stops noticing his surroundings as much, making it possible for someone with better maneuvering to get around his attacks, especially in the air when he has to be careful not to blast himself backwards on accident. Also, his defense is weak on his backside, kinda hard to twist one's hand around at a proper angle."

"I see," said Midoriya as he jotted a few notes down in the latest volume of his hero notebook.

"But that can't be the only reason you stopped the both of us in the hallway when everyone else is out of earshot," Slade pointed out, "Everything okay."

"Well, All Might needed to see me after class, but there was something I needed to know," said Midoriya with a more serious look on his face, "He told me not too long ago that you guys figured out his secret."

"We know he gave you a quirk somehow," said Slade, "We also know about his weak form and his time limit. But how he was able to give you a quirk and the origins of his own, not the slightest idea."

"I see," said Midoriya as he tried to think of how to ask his next question. "So did either of you, you know, tell anyone else?"

"Relax," said Clay as he clapped his friend on the shoulder, "All Might sensei made it very clear why we needed to keep it a secret. We haven't told a soul." Midoriya accepted this answer with a grateful nod before heading off to All Might's office. They didn't bother asking him what he discussed with All Might when he returned to the class room, knowing that he'd tell them if they needed to know.

Not to mention, they had other problems they needed to worry about now. "Alright," said Aizawa as they all got seated, "Summer vacation will be starting soon, but that doesn't mean you get to relax. So the school will be holding a training camp." This statement was met with numerous cheers from several of the students as they listed off the many joys of camping such as fireworks, s'mores, campfire stories. "However," their teacher continued with his glare silencing the class, "The requirement for you to go on this trip is to pass your final exams, those who don't will attend summer school."

'Not pulling any punches as usual,' thought Clay, 'Or maybe he is. Guess we won't know until the time comes. In the meantime there's just one thing that concerns me. The first part of the exam is all written tests, but what's their plan this year for the second part of the exam, that's the half where things get really interesting.'

 **He has no idea how right he is on that note, and he's not gonna like the answer of what the final exams hold in store for them. In the meantime, I hope you all liked this chapter, it turned out a little longer than I expected but hopefully just as entertaining. As always, feel free to leave a comment or a review about what you liked, disliked, or if you've got any ideas to help this story get even better. Be sure to stop in next time as Class 1A puts their all into passing the written exams, and gets their expectations shattered at the reveal of the new form of the final practical exam. 'Til next time.**


	37. We Have To Fight Who!

**We Have To Fight Who?!**

Class 1A

"And that concludes class for today," Said Aizawa as he turned to exit the class, "Now remember that the finals are just a week away now and come in two phases, written and practical. I'm certain you've kept up with your studies but be sure not to fall behind on your training. Good Luck, you'll need it." It was hardly five seconds after their sensei closed the door that the ones who hadn't been studying decided to state their dilemma.

"We've hardly even looked at our text books!" Mina and Kaminari both exclaimed at the same time, though Mina was able to seemingly laugh about it while Kaminari was expectedly freaking out.

"Yes we have been kept surprisingly busy this semester," said Tokoyami in his usual, unconcerned tone of voice. Sato and Koda agreed with the bird-headed student, restating how the school wouldn't pull any punches. Mineta was, surprisingly, unconcerned because the little grape head had somehow managed to get in 9th place in the class midterms, a fact which frustrated both Mina and Kaminari to no end.

"Hey don't worry about it, there's still time for us to study," said Midoriya who for once wasn't nervous about something school-related. Then again, Clay recalled he'd placed fourth at the midterms, no doubt thanks to his ever impressive note-taking.

"You know passing is far easier if you just pay attention in class," Todoroki pointed out.

"Ah you don't have to cut us down like that," said Kaminari as he sulked a bit.

"Clearly it's not everything though," Clay said, deciding to add his thoughts to the matter, "If it was, you wouldn't have placed 5th in the midterms."

"I find that comment a little ironic given that you ranked behind me," Replied Todoroki.

"And I ranked higher than either of you," said Slade as he leaned back in his seat, "And yet I still only reached the 3rd rank in the class. Why, because no matter how hard I study I can't seem to fully grasp English grammar. So we all have our strengths and weaknesses."

"How did you wind up in the 6th spot in class anyway Clay," questioned Tsuyu, "I thought Japanese was a second language for you."

"Oh Japanese has never been the problem," said Clay as he produced a few floating cloud kanji in the air with his quirk, "I actually think it's quite an artistic language. It's math that's been the biggest pain in my academic ##. Even when I have the problems in English it still throws me for a loop sometimes and then add on the fact that I need to translate from Japanese to English before even attempting a problem. If not for Uncle setting me up with the translations during testing, I probably wouldn't have even gotten all the way through the math section before time was up."

"Yeah but that just means you have a handicap," Said Mina, "For us we're failing in our native language for goodness sake!"

"Well if the two of you want, I could help you out on studying the important topics," suggested Momo. Kaminari and Mina accepted this offer immediately, and given the fact that Momo had come in 1st during the midterms, they were in good hands. Jirou, Ojiro, and Sero thought so too because they asked for help shortly after, all of them having a problem in one field of study or another. For whatever reason, this put a spark in Momo's eyes. "Of course, we can hold a study session at my residence! I'll just need to call mother and have her prepare the great hall, and then it'd be best if we had some tea as well. My family normally drinks Wedgewood, but we can make accommodations for nearly any taste. I'll make it my personal mission to help you all become model students!"

"Heck, maybe she should just teach the class," said Clay as he shifted his cloud kanji to say something along the lines of 'Yaoyorozu Sensei.' "She's definitely more enthusiastic about it than my Uncle."

"Hey how fancy is Momo's home anyway?" Questioned Uraraka in a bit of a whisper.

"Super fancy," Clay, Slade, and Jirou all answered at the same time.

U.A. Lunch Room

"So we know what the written exam is going to be all about," said Iida as most of the class sat together eating lunch.

"It'll be pretty much everything we've learned so far this year all wrapped into a few big tests," said Midoriya, "So the only thing that's really driving me crazy right now is what the practical exam will be."

"Have you managed to get anything out of your Uncle about what it'll be?" Jirou asked Clay.

"Nothing too crazy I hope right?" Added Uraraka, who was understandably nervous given that she wound up 13th out of the whole class.

"Ah, the only other thing I could really get out of him was that it would put us in situations that wouldn't suit our quirks," said Clay as he rubbed the back of his head, "But in the past it's usually been a combat exercise."

"Well that tells us a whole lot without telling us anything at all," commented Slade as he took a few bites of his own food.

"Well maybe it's like a comprehensive test of all the different types of hero work we've-GAH." Midoriya's sentence was cut short by someone bumping the back of his head with their elbow.

"Oh sorry," said a rather annoying blond student, "Your head's just so big I couldn't help but bump it."

"Oh hey," said Clay as he pretended not to recognize the 1B student, "Who are you again? Oh wait I got it." Clay used his quirk to write out a phrase in Japanese which roughly translated to 'Dick Head.'

"How clever," remarked Monoma, "But at least I don't go around having run-ins with villains like the hero killer. I must say your class doesn't seem to be satisfied unless they're the center of attention, just like in the sports festival."

"And just like in the sports festival," said Slade as he turned around and 'accidentally' planted a higher density foot on Monoma's, "You're just spouting hot air to make yourself look better."

"But I d-don't need to d-do that," Replied Monoma as he tried to keep his speech steady through the pain in his foot and watery eyes, "You see everyone's noticed your class has a knack for getting into trouble, ouch, and we're all just worried that you'll drag us into one of your messes one d-GAAAH!" The 1B student was finally silenced thanks to a quick chop from Kendo.

"Oh Kendo," remarked Iida as everyone noticed that Monoma seemed to be out cold.

"Sorry about him guys," said Kendo, "Not much of a heart in this one. Anyway, I happened to overhear your little dilemma about the practical exam. I heard from a guy a few grades up that it'll be combat against robots, kinda like it was at the entrance exam. I know it's kind of cheating to ask about it but I thought 'oh well.'"

"But that can't be right," Midoriya wondered out loud, "Unless information gathering is part of preparing for the final exam, if that's a possibility then it means we may have missed an important detail somewhere." The green-haired student continued his classic muttering, causing Kendo to look at him with a good bit of confusion.

"Does he always do that?" Questioned Kendo as Midoriya continued to mutter uninterrupted.

"You get used to it after a while," Said Clay as he switched his cloud kanji to say 'mutter' over and over again, "Though one can never predict when it's gonna start up."

"K-Kendo," squeaked Monoma weakly, "Why are you giving away a strategic advantage to these idiots? We could actually pull ahead of them this t-GAAAAH!" The perverse blond was swiftly knocked out again by another chop from Kendo.

"The only idiot around here right now is you," said Kendo as she drug her classmate away.

"Okay, her I like," said Slade as he turned back to face the rest of the class.

"She's kind of like class 1B's big sister or something isn't she," remarked Kirishima as they managed to eat the rest of their lunch in relative peace.

Class 1A

When Kaminari and Mina heard the news that they would probably be going up against robots for the practical exam, they were relieved and surprisingly excited. Clay understood to a degree why they'd be excited. Neither Mina nor Kaminari had great control over their quirks so it would be difficult for them to fight against people without causing serious injury. But against robots, they could basically go crazy.

Of course, their happy mood was quickly dampened by Bakugou. "It shouldn't matter if it's people or machines," remarked Bakugou, "You two morons should get better control of your quirks!" Kaminari wanted to protest that statement only to be silenced by a glare from the explosion quirk user.

"That's rich coming from a guy who can't even maintain an inside voice," Quipped Clay, "Seriously you got two settings, irritated growling or angry yelling. And let's not even talk about your own self-control issues."

"Blow it out your ## Cero," replied Bakugou as he moved to leave, but turned back long enough to glare at Midoriya. "And as for you, I don't know what the heck's up with your power, but seeing you jumping around like that's really pissed me off. But this time around we'll get individual scores which'll prove how much better I am than you! And Todoroki, that goes for you and the two pretenders, so just you wait!" With that final statement, Bakugou slammed the door shut on his way out.

'And now the finals have gotten him worked up,' thought Slade, 'I'm starting to think this guy can't do anything without turning it into a competition.'

The Yaoyorozu Residence

"Remind me again how I wound up agreeing to this," questioned Clay as he, Slade, Jirou, Mina, Kaminari, Sero and Ojiro all stood outside of the large gate to the path that led up to mansion of Momo's family.

"Because you know how to tutor someone in a foreign language," Jirou reminded him, "And you know the best way to tutor Slade, who's here to help with the math tutoring."

"Yeah that's why you wanted me here," said Clay, "but why did I think it was a good idea in the first place?"

"Because Jirou and I asked super nicely," Said Mina with her trademark Ashido grin.

"I'm not sure I'd describe threatening to add acid marks to my list of burn injuries as asking nicely," Clay pointed out.

"Oh that was just Jirou's idea for a little extra incentive," said Mina with a dismissive wave, "But seriously, Kaminari and I need all the help we can get at this point."

"And Momo can only teach so many people at once," Said Jirou as she reached for the speaker, "So try to be a team player here." Jirou's hand was just hovering over the button when Momo's excited voice suddenly rang out.

"Hello everyone! I've been waiting for you, please come in!" Said Momo as the gates opened inward remotely, permitting them entry into the mansion. As before, Clay, Slade and Jirou felt extremely out of place, a feeling which was shared by everyone else until Momo came in, wearing a long red shirt and shorts, pushing a tray of tree. "And how is everyone today?" Said Momo with the biggest smile they'd ever seen on her face.

"We're wonderful now," said everyone happily, suddenly not caring that they were in a mansion. 'She's practically glowing with happiness,' thought Clay, 'never thought I'd see anyone this excited to be tutoring.' From that point onward, the study session commenced. Momo was able to answer just about every question asked to here while Clay and Slade helped out anyone having trouble with math or grammar. Clay even used his quirk to form letters and numbers in case they ran out of room on the board.

Before they knew it, the week had passed and it was time for the written exams, which stretched out through three class days.

Class 1A: Third Day of Written Exams

"Alright pencils down and papers to the front," said Aizawa as exam time came to a close. 'Whew finally,' thought Clay as he got ready to hand his paper up. He'd just managed to finish his written exam barely five minutes before time was called, and then it had been an exercise of trying not to change any answers and potentially making his score worse.

Mina and Kaminari were both thanking Momo over and over again for tutoring them. Obviously they weren't sure quite yet how well they'd done but at least they'd gotten through it, even managing to answer all of the questions without leaving anything blank. But it was the next exam that had Clay nervous as the moment they'd turned all of their papers in, Aizawa instructed them to get into costume and head to specialized testing grounds made specifically for the practical exam.

Practical Exam Area

'Well this can't be anything good,' thought Clay as they stood at the entrance to the exam area. All of class 1A was gathered and in costume and standing before them was every one of their teachers. "Alright, it's time to commence the practical test," said Aizawa, "Be sure to remember that this is a separate test and you can fail it. So if you want to go to camp this summer, try not to make any stupid mistakes."

"Any idea why 'all' of the teachers are here?" Jirou whispered to Clay.

"I don't know but I feel like they're not here just to watch us take the practical," replied Clay.

"I imagine you've all been trying to gather information as to what the practical will be this year," continued Aizawa.

"Is it those big robots like the ones at the entrance exam?!" Questioned Kaminari and Mina excitedly.

"Actually, recent events have led us to change this year's exam to something completely different!" Said an excited voice from inside of Aizawa's scarf before the business-suit wearing, mouse-like form of Principal Nedzu popped out of it. Everyone was rather surprised at the principal's presence and at the fact that things were changed. "While the tests will involve hero work they have a new focus this year, namely teamwork and combat against actual people."

"And that means what for us exactly," Asked Kirishima as he voiced the question that was on everyone else's mind.

"It means for the practical, all of you will be working in pairs and your opponents shall be one of our esteemed teachers, isn't that wonderful!" Replied Nedzu happily.

"Incredibly, wonderfully, fabulously terrible," remarked Clay as everyone else could only voice their disbelief that they were about to go up against their teachers.

"Moreover," Aizawa continued for Nedzu, "Your partners and opponents have already been chosen for you. The matches were made based on various factors including fighting ability, grades, and even interpersonal relationships. For example, Slade and Momo will both be a team," this comment caused the two students to glance in slight confusion at each other, "Against me."

"Ah $ %," Said Slade, not feeling too great about the way their teacher was grinning.

"Another team we have will be Midoriya paired with Bakugou," Aizawa said. This caused them both to glance at each other with expressions of disbelief. What was more unbelievable was their opponent who came dropping seemingly out of the sky.

"I AM HERE! TO FIGHT!" declared All Might, "So if you want to win you'll have no choice but to work together!" The number one hero wore his trademark smile as he said this. Though this time around, that smile promised a world of pain for the two students who were going up against him.

"Now I think it's best we announce the rest of the teams as well as the order and opponents they'll be fighting," said Nedzu. The first match was Sato and Kirishima against Cementoss, then Tsuyu and Tokoyami against Ectoplasm, followed by Ojiro and Iida against Power Loader. Slade and Momo got the fourth match against Aizawa while Clay was, to his surprise, partnered up with Uraraka against Thirteen. Mina and Kaminari would get the pleasure of taking on Principal Nedzu himself while Koda and Jirou took on Present Mike.

Hagakure and Shoji were pitted against Snipe while Mineta and Sero got the pleasure of facing Midnight. The last two matches were Todoroki and Aoyama against Hound Dog and, as if saving the best for last, Midoriya and Bakugou would get the final match against All Might.

"Each of you will have thirty minutes to complete the exam," explained Nedzu, "To win you must accomplish one of two goals. Either place these specialized cuffs on your opponent, or one or both of you manage to escape the combat stage."

"So we can just get out of there and we win," Said Hagakure, "Is that really an okay thing to do?"

"That's right," said Present Mike as he tipped his sunglasses, "But this won't be like the start of the year, you'll be taking on those who are on a whole other level!"

"Aren't you just the announcer though," Jirou pointed, despite Koda's protests.

"Oh come on now, have a little respect girl!" Seethed Present Mike.

"The purpose of this exam is to simulate a real battle," Explained Thirteen, "Strange as it may seem, think of us as villains."

"Just like in the real world," Snipe said as he picked up where Thirteen began, "If you run across and enemy and think you can take 'em, then you fight."

"However," Said Aizawa, "If you find you're outmatched, a smart move is to retreat and find back up. I'm sure Todoroki, Midoriya, and Iida can tell you all about that." The three students tensed up a little at this, remembering their encounter with Stain. 'So we choose the one we think will win the day,' thought Clay, 'fight or flight.'

Exam Monitor Room

Clay stood in the monitor room with Midoriya as Uraraka walked in. The monitor room itself was being manned by Recovery Girl, who was on standby to deal with any injuries which would most likely occur. "Oh hey Deku, you're in here too," said Uraraka.

"Oh yeah," replied Midoriya, "It's not every day you get to see the teachers fight, and against students to boot. Plus, Kacchan doesn't really want to talk strategy."

"He's got it in his head that he can actually beat All Might," said Clay, who was currently leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, "But the truth is he doesn't stand a chance by himself. Honestly the only bit of good news is that All Might's wearing those weights designed by Hatsume to limit his movements like the rest of the teachers. Despite all of that, the only real strategy for you two in my opinion is to play hide and seek until you reach the gate."

"I doubt Kacchan will want to do that though," said Midoriya, "He's always hated the idea of running and he won't listen to me."

"Then you have two options, at least the way I see it," said Clay, "One, you either let him find out the hard way that he's no match and leave him behind while All Might's beating him into the ground or-."

"But we're supposed to work together," said Midoriya, interrupting Clay, "I can't just leave him behind."

"Then that's your other option," said Clay, "If you think you can, make him listen, even if you have to slug him across the face." An uncomfortable silence followed his statement. After a whole minute, it was Uraraka who finally broke it.

"Uh Clay, we still need to talk strategy," said Uraraka, "We've got our match to think about too and I'm open to ideas here." Clay's expression softened a little before he spoke.

"Well our situation is a little better, but not by a whole lot," said Clay, "In all of U.A. there are three teachers I'd hate to go up against. The first is All Might for obvious reasons, he outclasses me in both quirk and physical ability, heck just those massive shockwaves would be more than enough for him to disperse anything I throw at him. Second is also relatively obvious, My Uncle due to his ability to erase my quirk and he outclasses me in hand to hand. And the third teacher is Thirteen."

"Why would you hate to go up against Thirteen when they're more of a rescue hero?" Questioned Uraraka.

"Because any frontal attack by me would be useless," explained Clay, "No matter what shape my quirk takes, how much I divide it to attack from multiple angles, or how much of it I generate all Thirteen has to do is suck it up with black hole, and the same goes for any debris attack you could create with your quirk. Uncle knew what he was doing when he paired us up against this particular opponent."

"You're not really getting my hopes up here," said Uraraka, "Do you have any actual plans?" Clay was about to answer that question when the screen lit up. Kirishima and Sato's match against Cementoss had begun. Their approach was pretty straightforward as they charged through the simulation cityscape and straight towards Cementoss.

The pro hero and teacher reacted by using his quirk to form several stone walls. Kirishima responded by using his hardening quirk while Sato consumed sugar to boost his strength temporarily. They broke through wall after wall with incredible ferocity as they attempted to close the distance between them and the cement hero.

"Wow," commented Uraraka, "If they keep going like this, they'll win for sure."

"If they really can keep going like this," said Midoriya, getting a questioning look from Uraraka. "It's true they've got great quirks, but they have their limits to how long they can keep them going."

"Cementoss, on the other hand," Clay picked up for Midoriya, "Is capable of manipulating that entire street and likely more, and with his experience making a wall is child's play. In a battle of attrition, I'd say he's got the upper hand."

"And Aizawa sensei knew that when he paired them up against him," Uraraka realized, "That means he purposely paired us against teachers we'd have a hard time with."

"And if we want to pass," said Midoriya, "We'll need to recognize our own weaknesses and find ways to overcome them."

"That's right on the money," said Recovery Girl suddenly as she turned in her chair towards them. "In order to pass this test, you'll need to look at your compatibility against your opponent. You'd all best think carefully about who you're up against, otherwise you'll end up like these two." Her point couldn't have been any clearer as they watched Kirishima and Sato tire themselves out before being overrun by a blob of cement, rendering them both unconscious. A horn sounded then as a voice over the intercom declared the match over.

"If their battle was that one-sided," said Uraraka as she looked at Clay and Midoriya, "What are we gonna do when it's our turn?" 'That's a good question,' thought Clay, 'One I don't actually have an exact answer to.'

 **The practical exam has been revealed and the odds are not looking good as they watch the first team fail. With the factors favoring the teachers of U.A., our heroes are gonna have to try a slightly more unorthodox approach. In the meantime, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and I promise more action to come in the next one. As always, feel free to leave a comment or review on what you liked/disliked or if you have a neat idea to improve the story. Be sure to stop in next time as Slade and Momo take on their homeroom teacher. 'Til next time.**


	38. To Make A Man Blink

**How To Make a Man Blink**

Practical Exam Testing Area

'I gotta say,' thought Slade as he walked down the tunnel into the testing ground, 'This is kind of a new feeling. Being actually nervous about an exam at school.' Now it wasn't to say that he hadn't doubted his chances of passing a test before, but few school tests had stacked the deck against him this heavily before. The density shifter glanced over at his partner as they entered the exam area, which in this case was a large suburban area with several houses between one to three stories tall.

"Momo," said Slade, snapping his partner out of her thoughts as she looked over to him, "How are preparations going?"

"I've just finished making the items we need," said Momo, still seeming a little out of it as she handed Slade some specialized goggles and a utility belt carrying a number of gadgets, "I made as many as I could while keeping enough lipids in reserve to make a few more big objects, not that it'll matter once Sensei uses his quirk on us."

"That's what all these preparations are for," said Slade as he shifted his density enough to make himself too heavy for Aizawa to sling around easily, "We just need to remember what Clay told us."

Practical Exam Waiting Room: A Few Minutes before the Next Exam

"Honestly," said Clay as he crossed his arms with his hand on his chin, "I think you're best bet is making a run for it."

"Can't say I really like the sound of that," said Slade as he leaned back in his chair. Both he and Clay were sitting at a table in one of the waiting rooms with Momo and Uraraka. Tsuyu and Tokoyami had passed their test against Ectoplasm and Iida and Ojiro's test was about to draw to a close. The room itself was laid out in a similar fashion to a break room with a few cafeteria tables and some vending machines. All in all, it made for a somewhat more relaxing atmosphere than the monitor room, which was why they'd all moved here to plan for their upcoming matches.

"Hey if this was an ordinary fight I'd tell ya something different," said Clay, "But you know just as well as I do that you're on a time limit against an opponent that excels at being hard to hit. Not to mention he can cancel out your quirks for a short interval, leaving hand to hand your only option and his experience will make him more than a match for the both of you."

"But since his acrobatic abilities do outclass us that much, how can we get away from him when we do encounter him?" Asked Momo.

"Well for that, I'd recommend a few tools if you can make them," said Clay, "For my Uncle the name of the game is to make him blink. His quirk only lasts as long as he's maintaining eye contact, which means anything you can do to obstruct his vision you do it. So flash grenades, smoke bombs, tear gas, heck LED lights or mass amounts of dirt, anything that will make him break eye contact and blink. Do you think you can make any of that stuff Momo?"

"I should be able too," replied Momo, sounding somewhat unsure, "I'm familiar with what makes up most of what you just mentioned. But I don't see how any of that will help if he erases my quirk to begin with."

"Preparation," Said Clay, "You've got a short amount of time when you enter the exam site before the match starts. So you use that time to make as many tools and weapons as you can. Once the match starts there's no telling where Aizawa will pop up, but the most likely place will be either the middle of the exam site or right near the exit. He likes to attack from above or any perceived blind spots, so remember to look up every now and then."

"This is all well and good Clay," said Slade, "But you do remember that Momo can't make stuff indefinitely right? If we just go crazy and make enough bombs to ward off your Uncle, it'll weigh me down and tire her out."

"The amount of gadgets you make will be up to you," said Clay, "In the best case scenario, you keep forcing him to retreat by blinding him repeatedly. But in the event that you run out before you get to the exit, well that's when you'll need to make a stand Slade."

"But wait," said Uraraka, "You've just been telling them to run for it this whole time. If they wind up fighting they won't be able to use Momo's quirk to make more blinding tools."

"I didn't say they'd both stay," said Clay, "You remember that Slade's density changes are different than a regular hardening ability."

"Wait," questioned Uraraka, "You mean those permanent changes Slade was talking about-."

"They can only be changed by his quirk," Momo finished, "This means that whatever density you're at when sensei erases your quirk, you'll remain at."

"Bingo," said Clay, "Slade can start the match off at a heightened density, one that'll make him too hard for Aizawa to sling around easily. Add to that a few close combat tools and strategic use of blinding bombs, and Slade should be able to hold him back long enough for Momo to get to the exit."

"It does seem like a solid plan," said Momo as she put a hand to her chin, "Though I'm a bit worried that we'll be slowed down with Slade at high density while we're carrying a lot of gear."

"We'll probably use a lot of it up relatively quickly," said Slade, "And I won't be at maximum density, just tough enough to take his hits without being thrown for a loop. All you'll need to worry about is making what we need and crossing the finish line."

"I still feel kind of bad though," said Momo, "Just running off and leaving you to do all the fighting."

"Hey that's only if things get real bad," said Slade, "If we're lucky, all the distractions we'll use will keep him at bay until we both cross the finish line."

"Just remember not to underestimate 'em," said Clay, "There's more than a few good reasons my Uncle has survived to more or less show up for the holidays every year. Also, remember to pay close attention to his hair, it shoots up when his quirk is active and drops down when he's not using it. And one more thing, ever since his fight with that Nomu, his eyes have been a bit more unsteady and his quirk isn't lasting as long."

"We'll need all the advantages we can get," said Slade, "Alright, now let's talk shop because we're gonna need a list of the top ten items to hold off Eraser Head sensei."

Practical Exam Area: Now

The two students hurried along, stopping occasionally to peer around corners and glancing at roof tops as they went. "Alright," Said Slade, "Any sign that he's seen us?" Momo used her quirk to make a small police baton which she handed to Slade.

"My quirk appears to still be working so far," said Momo, "So he's not in this area." 'Thankfully,' she thought in her head as they continued moving down the street of the replica neighborhood. 'I know Slade said he was nervous, but he doesn't seem at all hesitant about what he needs to do. While the only useful thing I can do here is run away while he holds off sensei. I guess it's not so surprising, especially given how I went out in the sports festival, and against someone like Eraser Head, I'd probably be immobilized in an instant.'

"Okay," said Slade, stopping in the middle of a four way intersection. This snapped Momo back to reality as she almost ran into the tall student's back as he turned to her. "Time for another check."

"R-Right," said Momo as she began producing a small straw, "He doesn't seem to be here either." Slade simply nodded his head as he turned and started walking with Momo following close behind, though with a sheepish expression still on her face. Finally, Slade couldn't take it anymore and decided to address the apparent elephant in the exam area.

"Is everything alright Momo," asked Slade as he continued to glance around for their teacher, "You've been pretty quiet ever since they announced the practical exam and you had surprisingly little input when it came to the plan. You know we wouldn't have been offended if you had any objections right?"

"I, uh, well I didn't really have anything to add," Replied Momo, "The plan seems solid enough, especially given all the input we had from Clay, who knows our teacher better than anyone. In some ways it almost feels like cheating because we've got so much more intel on our opponent than anyone else."

"Momo," said Slade as he stopped and turned around, "I might not know you well, but it's obvious even to me that something's bothering you. If it's the plan then we still have time to alter it and try one of your ideas."

"I doubt my ideas would do any good," said Momo with a somber tone as she averted her eyes, "I might've gotten into U.A. on a recommendation, but in comparison to some of the others I haven't done much. I followed Todoroki's lead at the sports festival, then I got knocked out of the ring in hardly a minute against Tokoyami. And when Jirou and I followed you two into the Eight Ball Knuckles, it was my poor choice of attire which got us into that bad situation in the first place. It was only thanks to you and Clay thinking ahead that we were able to get out of there in the first place and with the information you'd been looking for."

"Momo you really shouldn't- $ #!" Slade had caught the movement of a shadow above them. As they both looked up, there was their homeroom teacher, dangling upside down from his scarf which was wrapped around some powerlines.

"You shouldn't let your concentration slip so easily," said Aizawa as he dropped down in between them. Slade acted first with a wide roundhouse kick which their sensei simply leapt over before landing behind them. Slade turned and charged forward with a wide left haymaker aimed at his opponent's midsection.

"I think you've forgotten," Said Aizawa as he easily dodged Slade's arm, "I've taken your quirks."

"But not our weapons!" exclaimed Slade as he swung at Aizawa with his right arm. Aizawa was forced back farther than he expected as he noticed that Slade had an extendable baton at the last second. The density shifter didn't let this short moment of surprise go to waste as he swiped at their teacher a few more times, each one backing him up to a wall until he was forced to leap frog over Slade and land behind him. "Momo now!"

Aizawa glanced back as the creation quirk user swiped at him with an extendable staff. The teacher ducked around and evaded her strikes, noting that she was swinging at him in a half-hearted manner before rolling to the side to avoid a few strikes from Slade. "Not bad team work," commented Aizawa as he slung his scarf around both of their weapons and yanked them out of their hands, "But let's see how you do without these." He then swung both of the weapons back towards his targets.

Slade moved in front of Momo, shielding her with his body as the blunt weapons bounced off of his hide. "We brought more than just those," commented Slade as he pushed his goggles down and pulled out a couple of flash grenades which he tossed at Aizawa. Their teacher leapt away as the grenades ignited, filling the area with blinding light for a few moments, allowing Momo and Slade the chance to escape.

"Not bad," Aizawa couldn't help but comment as he used his scarf to pull himself up onto a nearby roof, "Having specialized tools to block my vision and picking a predetermined density. No doubt Clay gave them all kinds of advice for this fight. But will it be enough I wonder?"

Momo and Slade turned another corner, with Momo throwing out a smoke bomb every now and then in a random direction behind them. "I hope that keeps him off of us long enough to get to the gate," said Momo as they stopped to peer around another corner, "We've used up half of our smoke bombs to create distractions."

"If we have, it'll only be a small reprieve," said Slade as they snuck around the corner and further up the street, "Sensei's a patient guy when he needs to be. If he can't find us within a few minutes, he'll just go wait by the gate. Which means if we don't hurry he'll be waiting for us, assuming he isn't already."

"That means avoiding confrontation will be impossible," said Momo, "And if he forces us to use the remainder of our grenades, we'll be finished."

"Are you sure you can't make a few more," questioned Slade as they turned another corner.

"Maybe a few more," replied Momo, "But my remaining lipids are getting low. I can probably produce a dozen more at best or a few large objects, but after that I'll be too weak to fight effectively, not that I've been much good at the moment." Slade stopped then, having heard enough at this point to ignore Momo's attitude any longer.

"Alright that's enough," said Slade as he bonked Momo on the head with his hand.

"OW! What was that for?" Questioned Momo as she rubbed her head.

"Listen to yourself," Said Slade, "You've been in a funk since before this exam started. You didn't have this problem at the USJ when actual lives were at stake and by my count you only really suffered one defeat at the sports festival if you don't count where you placed in the race. Not to mention I lost at the sports festival too, even if it was a draw. As for the bar, we planned for days before actually going in there and even then there was no guarantee things would go our way."

"But they did," said Momo, "You and Clay, Todoroki and Midoriya. Our class is full of so many amazing people-."

"And you think you're not?" Questioned Slade as he put his hands on her shoulders to stop her from speaking. "Momo you are literally one of the smartest, most beautiful girls I've ever met. You've killed it academically and helped our classmates pass the written exams. You not only have an amazing quirk you have a sharp enough mind to use it. I knew that when we were picking class officers. Clay didn't vote but I did, because I knew you were smart, so if you've got an idea stop doubting yourself and just say it!"

Momo averted her gaze from Slade for a moment, but then she looked him in the eye with renewed determination. "Alright," she said, "I may have an idea but I'll need you to buy me some time in case-LOOK OUT!" Slade whirled around to face their pursuer, but he was too slow to react as Aizawa's scarf wrapped around part of his utility belt. Slade just managed to grab a couple of items before the belt was yanked off of his costume.

"A nice strategy to start with," said Aizawa as he caught the belt and tossed it aside, "But a hero knows how to work with or without their toys."

"Why don't you ditch the scarf then," said Slade as he charged forward, swinging his right arm in a chopping motion. But Aizawa was ready for tricks this time and dodged out of the way of the Taser Slade had equipped himself with before attacking. The teacher then responded by tossing a number of caltrops onto the ground, a move which more annoyed Slade than actually stopped him as he stamped on a few of them before taking another swipe at their teacher. "Clay told us about these too, tricky but no match for a guy with titanium boot soles and heightened density."

"Slade," said Momo, "Hold him off for just a minute, it should be all I need!"

"With pleasure," replied Slade as he switched on a second Taser he'd managed to grab from his belt. 'So she's moving with conviction now,' thought Aizawa with a slight smirk as he bobbed and weaved out of the way of one strike after another, 'I just might be curious enough to see what it is, but I best not make it too easy.' The erasure hero bent low at one of Slade's jabs and kicked upwards, knocking the Taser out of his hand before twisting around and wrapping his scarf around the second Taser, leaving Slade without any weapons as he yanked it away. Slade wound up his fist then, acted as if he were about to throw a cross strike. But instead he stopped short and led his attack into a low round house kick.

But Aizawa's experience and speed showed through once more as he leapt over the kick while wrapping up Slade's standing leg at the same time. "You may be tough but that doesn't mean you can't be imbalanced," said the homeroom teacher as he pulled with all of his might, causing Slade to fall over onto his back, and get a few pricks from the caltrops that were underneath him. "Truthfully all I need to do to win at this point is find Yaoyorozu, which'll be easy considering she ran down a dead end. But given that she's asked you to stall me I'm a little curious what she's up to."

"YOU'RE ABOUT TO FIND OUT?!" Yelled Momo as she stepped out from behind the wall she'd hidden behind and tossed all of her remaining flash and smoke bombs. Slade averted his eyes as they ignited, filling the area up with a fair amount of light and smoke, forcing Aizawa to leap back with his own eyes covered. The density quirk user wasted no time in undoing the restraint on his leg before racing around the corner, which was relatively easy now that he could lower his density without Aizawa's quirk stopping him.

"Alright," said Momo as she led Slade a few feet away and handed him a bundled cloth that looked a lot like their teacher's scarf, "Did Clay ever show you any capture tricks with cloth bindings?"

"A few, why?" Questioned Slade as he examined the material, noting that it was almost exactly the same make as Aizawa's scarf.

"Good," said Momo as she pulled up a pair of black sheets, "As soon as that smoke clears we'll move, so here's the plan."

Aizawa was sitting on a nearby lamppost waiting for the smoke to dissipate. 'They did a good job of blocking my vision,' he thought, 'But there's only one way out of this little alleyway they're in and I'm sitting right in front of it. So, what'll your next move be kids?' The sound of running feet hitting the pavement alerted the erasure hero as he saw a large black sheet emerge from the mostly dissipated smoke cloud, conveyed by the two students underneath it. 'A sheet, not a bad idea given that I have to have line of sight for my quirk to take effect, but limiting in quite a few other ways.

The teacher leapt off of the telephone pole he was on and used his scarf to wrap up the areas of the sheet where he saw their heads were located, or what he'd thought were their heads. As he pulled back to stop them, the sheet came off, revealing that the two figures he'd entangled were actually a pair of small mannequins that were being held up by Slade and Momo. "Try using your quirk against this!" Exclaimed Momo as she switched on a very bright, portable stage light.

The sudden brightness of the LED light forced Aizawa to close his eyes as he heard Momo signal Slade. What he didn't see was Slade, at low density, leap off of Momo's shoulder, unfurling the scarf-like material he'd been given. With a few acrobatic twists and spins in midair, Slade was able to wrap up Aizawa's upper body before landing and increasing his density to yank the erasure hero off of his feet and towards him. The two students culminated the final part of their plan with Slade holding down Aizawa while Momo slapped the cuffs onto his wrists.

"I'm starting to see why Clay loves using that cloud scarf to fight," said Slade as he pulled up the goggles on his head, "Wrapping people up like mummies is actually kinda fun." Momo nodded her head in agreement as the horn sounded to end the exam.

"Team Slade and Momo have passed the exam!" Said the automated voice over the speakers.

"We did it," said Momo as she suddenly became unsteady on her feet, "We actually pass-." The creation quirk user would've fallen over if Slade hadn't caught bridal style.

"Easy there," said Slade as he began carrying Momo to the exit gate, "You overused your quirk a little didn't you?"

"I'm sorry," said Momo tiredly, "producing all the necessary materials for my plan drained the last of the reserves I could use for my quirk. Between that and our last charge I'm basically out of energy."

"Well feel free to rest awhile, you've earned it," said Slade with a gentle smile, "In the end it was all thanks to you that we won the day." Momo smiled at this, and then had to do her best not to let tears of joy spill out of her eyes.

"I-I guess you were right S-Slade," said Momo, "Maybe I-I can do this a-after all."

Practical Exam Monitoring Room

"HAHAHA!" Exclaimed Clay as he clapped his hands a few times, "Ah that's my Uncle. He's always going on about logic and the harshness of the world but in the end he's still a big softie at heart."

"I'm not sure what about that whole match said he was going soft," said Uraraka, who was also happy that their classmates had passed, but still confused by Clay's statement.

"Well logically speaking," explained Clay, "There were was more than one opportunity he could've exploited to get around Slade and stop Momo from executing her plan. But instead, he gave her the time she needed because he was curious to see what she would do. In the end, I think what he really wanted to do was restore Momo's confidence, which had been lacking a bit lately."

"Wow," murmured Izuku, "I guess as scary as he can be sometimes, sensei really does want to help us be the best we can be."

"Yeah but don't let him know that you know that," said Clay as he pushed his goggles down over his eyes, "He won't stand for anyone thinking he's soft." The cloud user then turned to head out of the room.

"Oh right, I guess we're next," said Uraraka as she moved to follow Clay out, "Wish us luck Deku!"

"Uh yeah," said Izuku with a wave, "Good luck guys, do your best!"

"Thanks," said Clay as they walked out the door, "Here's hoping it's enough."

 **And so the Erasure Hero has been subdued by the creator and the density shifter! For those of you wondering why this is kind of a short chapter, this just seemed like a good place to end it. Despite that, I hope you all enjoyed this latest entry and as always, feel free to leave a comment or review about what you liked/disliked or any neat little ideas you might have to make the story better. Be sure to stop in next time as Clay and Uraraka face off against Thirteen, as well as dealing with Uraraka's tendency to overreact to certain topics. 'Til next time.**


	39. Awkward Conversation Topics

**Awkward Conversation Topics**

Practical Exam Area

'This, is admittedly awkward,' thought Clay as he and Uraraka quietly made their way through the exam area. This particular area was modeled to look like a dome facility of sorts, with plenty of twists and turns with one big track running down the center. Clay figured it was fitting, given that their opponent was the astronaut-themed rescue hero, Thirteen. But another problem that neither he nor Uraraka had considered was now becoming very apparent. They had never had an actual conversation before without their other friends being present.

It wasn't to say that they weren't able to talk to each other. They'd managed a rather lengthy conversation about tactics to employ against their opponent, with both of them sharing a number of ideas on how to best compliment their quirks, with Izuku and Slade's input of course. Eventually they'd decided on a strategy that would keep them at a safe distance from Thirteen while still allowing them to fight if they did happen to run into the rescue hero. If they were lucky, they wouldn't have to employ most of it so long as they moved quickly, quietly and avoided getting anywhere near their opponent. But Clay could tell that his partner apparently had something on her mind.

"Alright," Clay finally said as he held up his hand and produced a cloud similar in size to the ones he'd usually ride on, "I'm sending out the first decoy." With a quick bit of reshaping, the cloud appeared as if it had the silhouettes of two people riding on it as Clay sent it out ahead of them near one of the many turns in the area. "If Thirteen's lurking around, hopefully they'll suck up the decoy first and give us time to evade them."

"Given the way the other matches have gone up to this point," said Uraraka, "We're probably gonna run into Thirteen sooner or later."

"Just remember the plan if we get caught up in black hole," said Clay while he readied a few other clouds which he shaped to look like bandages wrapped around his hands and feet.

"Uh right," replied Uraraka with a bit of hesitation, "Pull away with everything we've got because, uh, Thirteen's quirk has less of a pull at a farther distance." Clay sighed at the fact that she only recited part of the plan as he peered around one of the corners they were about to pass.

"Is something on your mind?" Questioned Clay as they continued onward, trying their best to avoid walking out onto the central track, "I know we don't talk one on one very often and this is making things, admittedly, a little awkward, but that can't be the only reason."

"Well," said Uraraka as they stopped for a moment, with the gravity girl fidgeting a little, "I'm worried about Deku. It's bad enough that he's going up against All Might to begin with, but he's also doing it with the most incompatible person they could've picked."

"Well it wasn't meant to be a fair situation," replied Clay, "But as my Uncle said at the beginning of the year, it's a hero's job to combat unfair situations like those. My only real concern is that Midoriya won't do the smart thing and hightail it the moment Bakugou stupidly tries to take All Might head on."

"Well that wouldn't really be the most heroic thing to do," Uraraka pointed out, "Just running off and leaving your partner to fend for himself."

"Ordinarily yes," said Clay, "but Bakugou arrogantly believes he can actually beat All Might in a straight up fight, unlike Midoriya who's been studying him for years and knows better. What's more, Bakugou refuses to even acknowledge him as a partner, so it might sound a bit harsh but the best thing Midoriya could probably do for the both of them, in my very personal opinion, is let bomb brain take the ## whooping he's practically begging for while he makes it to the gate and passes the exam for the both of them."

"But would Deku really do something like that," asked Uraraka as they stopped at another alley to peer down it as Clay sent out another cloud decoy ahead of them.

"If I know Midoriya like I think I do, not in a million years," replied Clay, "He's always held Bakugou in high regard, but even if it wasn't Bakugou out there with him, he'd still try to get them both out of there. He's been that way as long as I've known him, even before he got his quirk, so if he's presented with making a decision to help someone, even if it's not exactly necessary, believe me he'll do it." Uraraka smiled at his response for a moment.

"I often forget," said Uraraka as they kept walking, "You and Slade knew Midoriya before U.A. too." It was then that another thought struck the gravity girl. "You, uh, wouldn't happen to know if he dated anyone back then, would you." Clay turned around with a quirked eyebrow at that question.

"You have met Izuku Midoriya right?" Clay asked, "Until recently, the concept of even talking to a girl was foreign to him. In fact, after your call to him at the hospital the other day, he was excitedly texting me about how he actually spoke to a girl on the phone."

"Really?" Said Uraraka, not quite believing him, "Not a single girl ever talked to him in middle school."

"He was looked down upon as a quirkless nerd then," explained Clay, "between that and Bakugou tormenting him, no one hardly wanted to be his friend before me and Slade came along. Heck, we met when Slade and I kicked the $#$ out of some of the school bullies that were picking on 'em."

"I can't imagine why anyone would want to pick on him though," said Uraraka, "He's one of the nicest, smartest, most determined and selfless people I know. Sure he's still a nerd and he does mumble uncontrollably, but those are small things compared to the good I see in him."

"Don't you mean the good in him?" Questioned Clay as they stopped at another alleyway, "Come to think of it, why are we discussing Midoriya's lack of a love life right now? You gonna confess your true feelings to him after this exam or something?" Uraraka didn't answer as her face turned beet red at Clay's line of questions before she put her hands to her face, turned around and ran down the alley.

"No, it's nothing like that, I was just curious, why would you even suggest something like that?!" Uraraka stated frantically, not seeming to pay attention to where she was going due to her embarrassment. 'Jeez, I was only joking,' thought Clay, 'I know she might like him so why is she-wait a minute.' Clay noticed that the cloud decoy he'd sent into the alley suddenly got sucked away, the same alley that Uraraka was running down.

"Uraraka, hold up!" Clay shouted as he shot out the cloud bandages on his arms, one towards Uraraka and another towards some railing further down from the alley. His teammate stopped and turned her head just as their opponent walked around the corner.

"There you two are?" Said Thirteen as they raised up their finger to use black hole. Time slowed to a crawl then as Uraraka turned her gaze back on their teacher, her eyes widening in surprise as Clay's cloud cloth wrapped around her waist before yanking her backward towards Clay. The pointer finger on Thirteen's finger flipped open as a massive suction began. Clay grabbed his teammate around the waist then as she came back to her senses and used her zero gravity on both of them.

Even despite the distance, they couldn't help being pulled off of their feet as Clay shortened the length on his other cloth as quickly as possible. 'If this keeps up I'm gonna lose an arm,' thought Clay through gritted teeth as they reached the edge of the wall. Uraraka did her best to help out as she grabbed the edge of the wall with both arms. With one last Herculean effort, they managed to pull themselves out of the alley, and reeled themselves several feet away for good measure before Clay finally released the cloth around the guard rail.

"Come on," said Uraraka as she was on her feet in an instant and pulling Clay up as well, "We need to run!"

"No kidding," said Clay as he fired off a cloud high into the air before forming another beneath his and Uraraka's feet. The gravity girl grabbed him around his waist as she used her quirk to make him lighter, allowing them to fly much faster towards the gate. "All subtlety's out the window now, our only option is speed if we're gonna win this thing."

"I'm sorry," said Uraraka, "This is all my fault for overreacting and I nearly got us caught."

"We're not caught yet," said Clay as he went down an alley and emerged near the gate, "Thirteen's quirk might be hard to get around, but it's nothing like a real black hole so as long as we stay out of range of the suction we still have a chance to win this."

"You'd like to think so wouldn't you," said Thirteen as the teacher suddenly landed right behind them and opened their finger panel, "But I can also use my quirk to pull myself towards larger objects with the use of special jets in my suit. I rarely have to use this, so consider yourselves lucky that you get to see it." Despite their teacher's statement, Clay and Uraraka didn't feel the least bit lucky as the power of black hole threatened to suck them in once again. With quick use of his quirk, Clay tethered the both of them to some more railing that had fortunately been placed close to the gate.

But now they were stuck as Thirteen began walking towards them, the pull of their quirk getting stronger with each step forward. "Combat isn't my forte," Thirteen said, "But I do a good job when it comes to capturing people." 'This is bad,' thought Clay as he glanced up and began directing the cloud he'd launched into the air, 'only one thing to do now.'

"Clay," said Uraraka suddenly, "I know we're going with the backup plan, but I got something I want to try."

"It ain't too crazy I hope," Clay had to practically yell over the sound of Thirteen's quirk.

"It's a bit of a gamble," said Uraraka, "I want you to let me go. If I'm right, it'll at least present you with an opening." Clay thought about it for a moment, not really liking the idea. But taking a look at it objectively, they would both be sucked up if they didn't do something.

"May as well try it," said Clay as he released the clouds holding Uraraka, which of course sent her flying straight towards their opponent. 'Best do this fast,' thought Clay as he brought down his own cloud from the air as fast as he could move it. The sight of a person suddenly flying towards Thirteen caused the rescue hero to quickly close the opening on the costume, shutting off their quirk. This gave Clay the opening he needed to wrap his cloud around their opponent's arm to keep it from being opened again.

This also allowed Uraraka to grab a hold of the hero's other arm and use a takedown maneuver that she'd learned from Gun Head. With both of Thirteen's arms restrained, Uraraka had no trouble clamping the cuffs around the hero's wrist. 'Thank you Gun Head martial arts!' she thought enthusiastically as the horn sounded, signaling their win.

"Whew," said Clay as he dissolved his clouds and removed his mask. 'Don't say it,' he thought to himself, 'don't say it.' "That really 'sucked' didn't it?" 'And you said it.' Expectedly, Uraraka's reaction was a simple look that said 'seriously.'

Practical Exam Monitoring Room

"Alright!" exclaimed Midoriya, "Uraraka's judgement was right on the mark and Clay's response with his clouds kept Thirteen from continuing to use black hole!"

"I'm still just curious why Uraraka suddenly went running off," said Tsuyu, who'd come into the room while the match was going on with Iida, Momo and Slade, "I know Clay's not the most sensitive person but I've never known him to purposely upset someone."

"Do you know what Clay might've said?" Questioned Momo as she turned towards Slade.

"Ah you got me," said Slade with a shrug, "Those two have never had a straight up conversation between just the two of them as far as I know. Maybe Clay just mentioned something that he didn't realize was personal."

"Well we can ask them when they get here," said Iida, "Whose match is supposed to be next?"

"That would be Ashido and Kaminari," replied Momo, "They're going up against principal Nedzu."

"We'd best watch this match carefully," said Midoriya, "It's not often we get to see someone like him fight." Everyone else silently agreed as the match began, and became one-sided within the first few minutes. As it turned out, Nedzu was operating a crane with a wrecking ball, which made it kind of difficult for Mina or Kaminari to do much more than run as he created one chain reaction of collapse after another. What was more, the principal was laughing his head off like an evil genius while he was doing so.

"His understanding of physics and trigonometry is amazing," observed Slade, "Every swing of that wrecking ball is perfectly calculated to create an exact domino effect of falling debris."

"What's more," added Momo, "He's sealing off all direct routes to the exit while keeping Mina and Kaminari on the run."

"I'm just surprised at how sadistic he seems to be," said Tsuyu, "Is he always like this when he fights?"

"He was the subject of many horrible experiments by humans a long time ago," explained Recovery Girl, "So during moments like these he gets a little bit of revenge." Everyone else paled at this little factoid as they continued to watch the one-sided match play out. No matter where they ran, Mina and Kaminari couldn't escape the chain of falling debris and in the end they ran out of time.

"So that's it then," said Midoriya as the horn sounded, signaling an end to the match.

"They never even saw him the whole match," said Iida as the door to the monitor room opened to admit Clay and Uraraka.

"Oh no," said Uraraka as she hurried into the room with Clay walking in behind, "Mina's team lost? They must be crushed right now."

"Figuratively and almost literally by the looks of it," Said Clay, "I wish I could say I was surprised but I always heard that mouse was a sadistic genius."

"Well he had the perfect strategy against the two of them," said Momo.

"But at least you two managed to pass your exam," said Iida, "I'd say congratulations are in order."

"Thanks, and congratulations to you too Iida," said Uraraka with a bit more happiness in her voice.

"Hey Ochako," said Tsuyu, "What were you and Clay talking about right before you ran into Thirteen?"

"Oh that," said Clay, "Uraraka was just asking me a bunch of questions about-."

"NOTHING!" Exclaimed the gravity girl as she suddenly leapt up and put Clay in a headlock, "We were just making small talk about the school year and discussing battle stuff, then Clay made a couple of crude jokes is all!" The whole time she was frantically saying this she was using her gravity quirk to drag Clay out of the room with her.

"What in the world got into her," questioned Iida, voicing the thoughts of everyone else in the room.

Out in the hallway, Clay was wondering something similar as he waited for Uraraka to settle down a bit. After a few deep breaths, his classmate finally looked like she was ready to talk normally. "Alright, care to explain why you drug me out here right before the next match. Momo kind of expects me to be there to help cheer Jirou on with everyone else." His classmate took a deep breath before answering.

"Okay Clay, it's like this," said Uraraka, "I know you were just kidding about the whole confessing to Midoriya comment, but it still caught me off guard and it was really embarrassing."

"Why would it be embarrassing?" questioned Clay, "It was a joke, our friends will understand that."

"Or they might take it the wrong way," said Uraraka, "Especially Midoriya. He already gets nervous enough about social situations as it is, so as a favor to me and to insure your friend can continue to have normal interactions with me present, could you just not mention what we talked about." Clay sighed, figuring it shouldn't be this big of a deal. But, since she was pleading with him on it.

"Well I can't really say that I get it," said Clay, "and I think you might be making a slightly bigger deal out of it than it actually is. But since you drug me out here just to ask for a favor I guess I can't say no."

"Thank you Clay," said Uraraka with a bow, "I know you won't think of it this way, but I owe you one." Clay simply shrugged as they walked back into the monitoring room to see how Jirou and Koda's match was progressing. The answer, not good so far. As it turned out, Present Mike had a massive range with his quirk, allowing him to basically attack from the gate without ever having to move from it. Not only that, his sound was loud enough to cancel out both of their quirks.

"They're holding on," Iida said as he caught the two of them up on what was happening so far, "But Present Mike keeps bombarding them from a distance with his quirk. At this rate, Jirou and Koda's progress won't be fast enough to reach the gate before time runs out."

"I see," said Clay as he crossed his arms, mostly trying to hide his clenched fists. Slade still noticed regardless as they watched their classmates get swamped by another wave of sound.

"You a bit worried about her?" Questioned Slade, whispering so that no one else heard.

"It's only natural to worry about a classmate," replied Clay as he watched Jirou bust a rock to reveal a bunch of insects, "Especially given all that we've been through."

"True," said Slade, "But you and Jirou have got a bit of a different thing going on. Kinda like me and Momo have been interacting differently since the internship."

"Also true," said Clay, "But you misunderstand my frustration. I am worried about her, but I'm also frustrated because she's clearly got a winning idea with those bugs and it's going to waste because her partner won't grow a pair and talk to some $ #ing bugs! The guy doesn't even need to touch them he just has to open his mouth and $ #ing speak to them!" The cloud user stopped speaking when he realized that his voice had steadily rose in intensity, which in turn drew everyone else's attention.

Clay glanced at Slade who was wearing a small but smug grin on his face, clearly proud of the reaction he'd managed to get out of his friend. "Sorry," said Clay, speaking to everyone now as he rubbed the back of his head, "most bugs have never really scared me, so I always have trouble understanding people that are afraid of them."

"I don't think that'll be a problem much longer," said Tsuyu, who hadn't taken her eyes off the match, "Koda may be scared of bugs, but he's got a big heart, so have a little faith in 'em." Almost as if Koda had heard, he began practically yelling at the bugs on the ground, giving them one simple instruction. Get the man who was making all the noise. The spectacle that followed was impressive, and also made everyone else's skin crawl as a mass of bugs broke out from underneath the ground next to Present Mike and swarmed up his leg.

It was at that moment that Clay learned something new about their English teacher. The great hero Present Mike was also afraid of mass swarms of bugs. 'Wow, insect phobia is a bit more common than I realized,' he thought with a smirk as he watched Koda carry Jirou through the escape gate, declaring them the winners of the match. The cloud user then turned to head out the door.

"Uh Clay," said a surprised Midoriya, "Shoji and Hagakure are up against Snipe next, aren't you gonna watch that?"

"Snipe's probably gonna pin 'em down within the first couple minutes of the match," replied Clay as the door opened for him, "So I think I can miss the opening part to go congratulate the latest winners of our class."

"Just try to stay out of my way while I look at their ears," Said Recovery Girl as she brushed past Clay, who followed her out the door. Everyone else turned back to the screen as Slade was the next one to speak.

"He really does remind me of his Uncle sometimes," said Slade as he put his arms behind his head, "Can't just straight up say he was worried about someone."

"He probably likes her," said Tsuyu, "Or maybe he just doesn't wanna be one-upped by you, Slade. You did look kind of heroic carrying Momo back. Come to think of it, you guys have been acting a bit differently since you got back from your internships as well, did you all go on a double date or something?" This comment only served to make both Slade and Momo red as tomatoes as they both threw out a string of denials.

'I guess even Clay and Slade can be awkward sometimes,' thought Midoriya, 'which just brings up another question for me. If Bakugou doesn't listen to reason, what am I gonna do?' The green-haired boy looked at his hand as he clenched his fist, thinking over some advice Clay had given him earlier, and made up his mind.

 **Both Clay and Slade have passed their exams, leaving only a few remaining, one of which is Midoriya. But how will he fair when his partner hates his guts on the best of days. But the biggest question I got right now, does anyone know what the heck Thirteen is supposed to be? The website says unknown on gender, so now I'm wondering if there's even a body in that space suit and how I'm supposed to refer to Thirteen when I'm writing! But I'm getting off topic here, I hope everyone enjoyed the latest chapter even if it wound up shorter than I expected, and as always feel free to comment or review on what you liked/disliked or if you got any neat ideas you think will make the story better. Bonus news my story, The Adventures of Team WA Vol. 2, shall be resuming now that vol. 6 of RWBY is rolling, so keep an eye out for new chapters on that story as well. Be sure to stop in next time as the practical exams come to an end and class 1A prepares for its next challenge. 'Til next time.**


	40. Deck 'Em Midoriya

**Deck 'Em Midoriya**

The Halls of the Practical Exam Area

"So you're sure I don't need to talk louder so you can hear me?" Questioned Clay as he and Jirou slowly made their way towards the monitoring room.

"Recovery Girl's quirk is pretty amazing," replied Jirou as she walked a little unsteadily on her feet, "I just never realized how amazing until she fixed potentially permanent hearing damage. The downside, though, is that my equilibrium is still a bit messed up from all the noise and having my stamina sapped to help my body heal has only made it worse. So in short, I can hear you fine but staying steady on my feet is a little more difficult."

"We don't have to go to the monitoring room," said Clay, "If you need to rest, I can help you to one of the benches or something. A few of our classmates will give me some crap about it, but I can deal with that, mostly."

"Why would they give you crap about helping out a fellow classmate," Questioned Jirou, "It's not like you and I are secretly dating or-wait they don't think we're dating do they?!"

"Heck if I know," replied Clay with a shrug, "gossip is gossip, not to mention Slade likes to mess with me occasionally. He once spread a rumor that my quirk originated from my ## and that some of my clouds were largely made up of methane. When I walked into class the next day, half the room moved away from me. I'd never seen Midoriya laugh so hard in my life and Slade could barely keep a straight face the whole day?"

It was at that moment that Clay noticed something a little strange. For some reason his classmate was averting her gaze and, if Clay wasn't mistaken, redder than normal. "You okay there Jirou," Questioned Clay as he poked her arm.

"I DON'T KNOW," screamed Jirou suddenly, "I mean, yeah, fine, no problems over here. Just thinking about, uh, keyboard covers. Yeah, I couldn't decide what kind of keyboard cover I liked for my laptop and it's driving me crazy." Jirou started nervously laughing a little after that as she rubbed the back of her head.

"O-kay," said Clay with an obvious amount of confusion on his face, "I guess that does seem like a pressing issue now that both of our exam's over." Jirou nodded her head, quite readily, in agreement as she kept on trying to change the subject. Internally, though, her own comment had set off a strange train of thought that she was desperately trying to get her mind off of. 'Have I been giving off a weird impression lately, I mean sure I talk to him a whole lot more than I did when the year started. But lots of friends do that, not that dating Clay would be all that bad, would it? Wait, why am I even asking that, I don't even know if he'd want to date me. Come to think of it why wouldn't he want to date me, I'm dateable, oh this is so confusing!'

Conversation was a bit sparse after that as they finally arrived at the monitoring room. Everyone else was watching the screen as Snipe was holding Shoji at gunpoint. That was until Hagakure, with no clothes on her invisible body, managed to sneak up and slap the specialized cuffs on him, ending the match. "Oh, hey guys," said Slade, being the first to notice their entrance, "You got here just in time. Though it's a sad day for Clay's favorite hero."

"You do realize he's not fighting at his full potential, right," Clay pointed out, "None of the teachers are, otherwise we'd all probably fail."

"It is one of the main points of this exam I believe," said Iida, "To see how much farther we actually need to go. But I also believe it's a way to motivate us to do better and act more like heroes."

"Or motivate us to run away screaming like pansies," said Tsuyu as she pointed at the screen where Mineta was running for his life away from Midnight. The next exam was barely underway and Sero had been taken out almost immediately by the R-rated hero's quirk.

"Well a few weights aren't gonna do much to stop an airborne quirk that acts like sleeping gas," said Jirou.

"Speaking of sleep," said Momo as she turned to Jirou, "Are you sure you're okay to be up right now. You and Koda both took a pretty good beating from Present Mike's quirk."

"I'm good for the moment," said Jirou as she pointed at herself with her earphone jacks, "Recovery Girl's quirk just sapped my stamina a bit and my equilibrium's a little off. But as long as you or Clay, or someone keeps me from losing balance for a while, I should be good."

"Good thing Clay's such a gentleman then," remarked Slade, "But I guess he'd have to be after he made Uraraka start running around like a crazy person in their match."

"Oh," said Jirou with a quirked eyebrow, "and just how did you manage that, cloud boy?"

"I just said something stupid, that's all," said Clay as he rubbed the back of his head.

"What specifically did you say?" Questioned Momo with her own inquisitive look.

"Well I said, hey look Mineta's actually making it to the escape gate," everyone turned around to see that the grape-themed student had actually managed to get past Midnight through a combination of Sero's tape over his mouth and a frenzy of ball throwing. Meanwhile, Clay glanced at Uraraka who was mouthing 'thank you' for changing the subject.

The match after that was Todoroki and Aoyama against Hound Dog. It was an interesting match up to be sure, with the feral hero's agility allowing him to dodge all of Aoyama's attacks while also getting him in close to take on Todoroki. That was the moment things got a little hectic as Aoyama, not minding his own aim, started shooting in Todoroki's direction while the ice/fire user shot his flames out in an effort to keep their opponent away. Eventually they got Hound Dog to retreat, but only temporarily as the two of them made for the exit.

"Well it's clear those two never once even dreamed of working together," said Slade as he crossed his arms, "Makes for an entertaining spectacle, but not so much for passing the exam."

"I'll admit," said Midoriya, "I usually don't picture someone like Todoroki tripping up. But I guess it happens to the best of us." As it turned out, tripping things up was Todoroki's new strategy when Hound Dog came at them again as he froze the ground and kicked Aoyama forward. The surprised student, not knowing what else to do, repeatedly fired off his navel laser in random directions, forcing Hound Dog to back off and into a quickly erected wall of ice. The teacher didn't have any time to react as Todoroki completely trapped him in a pyramid of ice, allowing him and a very dizzy Aoyama the chance to escape through the gate before Hound Dog could come after them.

"A surprisingly effective strategy," said Iida as he held his chin in thought, "It certainly had the element of surprise."

"If by surprise, you mean Todoroki kicking his partner in the #$$, then yeah," said Jirou.

"Didn't you use a similar tactic when you kicked Kaminari into a villain?" Questioned Tsuyu to Jirou.

"But even if it was unorthodox, they still won," said Uraraka, "And now the only match left is yours Dek-." Uraraka paused midsentence when she realized that Midoriya had already left the room.

"Do you think Midoriya and Bakugou will have enough time to come up with a plan?" Questioned Tsuyu as they watched the final two enter the exam area, which was once again simulated to look like the city streets.

"It's not really a matter of if they can come up with a plan," said Slade, "It's a matter of Bakugou letting go of his overinflated ego long enough for them to work together to escape."

"He does have a bit of excessive pride," remarked Iida, "though his tenacity is commendable."

"That's the only respectable thing about him in my opinion," said Clay, "But it's also not enough to take on All Might. He outclasses them physically in every area to the point that it's not even funny, meaning the only way they're gonna have a chance is by running, fighting only when absolutely necessary."

"Do you think Bakugou is capable of accepting conditions like that?" Questioned Momo. Neither Clay nor Slade answered at first as they were both thinking back to another time they'd seen the explosion quirk user outmatched. The very first day they'd met him.

Middle School: Almost Two Years Ago

"Hey, b#%#$#s!" yelled a voice that Neither Clay or Slade recognized. But Midoriya seemed to know it all too well as he began trembling a bit. "I heard you two beat up my pals." The two friends turned and looked to see a blond-haired, red-eyed kid approaching them wearing the middle school uniform. His description matched that of a kid named Bakugou or Kacchan that Midoriya had mentioned to them.

"Well that depends on who your pals are," replied Clay, "Me and Slade here have gotten in a fight or two over the years."

"You remember those two, right?" questioned Bakugou as he pointed his thumb behind him. It was the winged bully and the other bully with extendable fingers. "You practically broke his nose and bruised the other one's side. And let's not even talk about their heads."

"Well they could've walked away," said Clay as he and Slade instinctively moved in front of Midoriya, "Better yet, they could just not be bullies, I hear it hurts a lot less in the long run."

"They can do what they want," said Bakugou as a small explosion erupted from his hand, "I'm more curious why you two are even giving the time of day to a quirkless loser. Is he paying you two for protection, did he even tell you he's quirkless?"

"Of course," said Slade, "he told us the first day we met 'em. As for payment, we're not bodyguards, we're his friends, but since that seems to be an alien concept to you let me explain. Friends look out for each other and friends are also capable of accepting small differences in each other. Clay here is only half Japanese, but that's not something he can control and being quirkless ain't a crime either."

"All I'm hearing is that you don't mind being dragged down by a loser," said Bakugou, "But then again, I guess it's only natural that weaklings stick together."

"Speaking from experience," said Clay, "if you're the pinnacle of cool around here, then the bar is much lower than I thought."

"What did you say?!" Questioned Bakugou with a sneer on his face.

"Do you know one of the more common reasons bullies pick on people," said Clay, "It's because deep down they feel small. They feel everyday they have to prove themselves, that they 'have' to be the biggest and baddest one around. I'll bet the truth is, you're actually relieved that Midoriya doesn't have a quirk, because if he did he'd probably leave you all in the dust."

"Uh Clay, why are you bringing me into this," questioned a frightened Midoriya.

"Not $ $ing likely," said Bakugou as he began angrily advancing towards them, "even if Deku had a quirk, he'd still be an insect that I could squash without a problem. But the little prick still acts like he can be a hero when he's got no chance at all!"

"And you think you can," said Slade as he stifled a laugh, "It takes more than having a quirk to be a hero. Sure, you might be able to get into a hero school with the ability to blow things up. But you won't be able to solve every problem presented to you just by blowing it up. If anyone should reevaluate their reasons for wanting to be a hero, it should be you."

"Oh that's the final nail in the coffin," said Bakugou as he pulled off his uniform shirt, leaving a black tank top, "You could've gotten off easy if you'd just stepped aside and left things the way they were. But now I've got to teach you both how the food chain really works."

"You wanna take this one, or should I," asked Clay as he ditched his hoodie, leaving a short-sleeved shirt, while Slade pulled off his jacket to reveal his own tank top.

"I mean you beat up his two friends," said Slade, "Maybe I should take this one to make it even."

"You two are so full of $ #," said Bakugou, "I plan on beating the $# out of both of you, so I may as well fight two on one."

"Would you be willing to accept one rule to this fight," said Clay with his arms crossed.

"I can take whatever you throw at me," yelled Bakugou, "So quit stalling."

"No quirks," said Clay as he and Slade stepped forward, "Just fists and feet. The first side to use a quirk will be the loser. Think you can handle that tough guy?"

"I don't need it to take on the likes of you two!" Exclaimed Bakugou as he charged forward, using what Clay would come to know as his signature right cross. The swing was wide, allowing Clay to stop his arm while twisting his body, pulling his opponent off balance and onto the ground. Before Bakugou could get back up, Slade and Clay each managed to seize one of his legs and pull, yanking him across the ground before pulling him up and flipping him on to his stomach. The angry blond was back on his feet in no time as he charged in with a shoulder tackle.

Slade wasn't able to stop it with his hands, but he did manage to plant his feet and hold onto his opponent as Clay came in and pushed him away with a front kick. Bakugou quickly rolled and charged again with another straight punch. Clay blocked and swung back, only narrowly missing as Bakugou managed to get a glancing blow on his left cheek. Clay hit him back with a vicious uppercut as the two of them traded a few more blows. Eventually, Bakugou grabbed the front of his shirt and tried to force him down, but this gave Clay the perfect opportunity to bring his legs up and trap both Bakugou's head and right arm in a flying triangle choke.

Slade added in his own twist on the move by sweeping Bakugou's feet out from under him before grabbing and twisting his foot. "This is the last chance we're gonna give you to walk away," said Clay as he applied a good bit of pressure to his hold, "Provided that you and your cronies leave Midoriya alone from now on."

"No one'll think less of you," said Slade, "This ain't worth getting yourself broken over."

"Screw the both of you!" yelled Bakugou as he struggled to free himself, "I won't lose to you, this is nothing!"

"Not yet," said Clay as he increased the pressure of his hold, "I've seen this hold work, if I keep this up you will pass out, and that's assuming Slade doesn't break your ankle before then."

"Then break it already!" Yelled Bakugou, "I'll fight you both on one leg! You think you know anything about me, I'm a winner and that's all I need to be a hero!"

"That's enough!" yelled Midoriya suddenly, surprising Clay and Slade, "This has all gone far enough! I don't want anyone to get hurt because of me."

"Trust me, it'll be better if this guy learns a lesson now," said Slade as he twisted Bakugou's ankle more to the point where it was starting to crack.

"But you guys might get in trouble for it," said Midoriya, "I don't want either of you to risk that. Just please, let him go." Clay wanted severely to protest his friend's potential short-sightedness. But one look as his friend's now tearstained face and he couldn't say no.

"We're done here Slade," Clay finally said with a sigh as he undid his hold and got up. Slade did so as well, albeit with a ton of grumbling as they both moved to leave. As the two friends moved away, their opponent got up and made another unwise decision.

"Where are you two running off too?!" Questioned Bakugou angrily, "We're not done here!"

"Give it a rest already," said Clay without turning back, "This fight is over, so scurry along."

"Why you!" seethed Bakugou as he ran towards the two of them, his right hand sparking as he did so. Moving in unison, Clay and Slade both whirled around with simultaneous uppercuts, knocking Bakugou away and causing his explosion to shoot upwards. The blond fell to the ground, grabbing his chin in pain as Clay and Slade kept walking away.

"Some winner," commented Slade as they escorted Midoriya away from the area.

Practical Exam Monitoring Room: Now

"I think Bakugou believes, that winning is the only thing that's required to be a hero," Slade answered finally, "He'll only accept the conditions of a retreat, even a fighting retreat, if his need to win outweighs his pride."

"Good luck with that," Clay couldn't help but comment, "I bet the first thing he's gonna do is fly straight at All Might in a complete frontal attack." This prediction, as they watched the match begin on the monitors, unfortunately turned out to be more or less true. Midoriya tried to get Bakugou to listen to him as they walked along the main street, only to receive a back hand for his trouble. That was when All Might made his move, in the form of a shockwave that blasted all the way from where he was standing down to where Midoriya and Bakugou were, wrecking a good bit of the area behind them as well.

That was when the number one hero made his appearance, and it was a spectacle that was intimidating enough to give some of those standing in the monitoring room the chills as he came walking out of the dust cloud he created. Izuku was practically paralyzed by fear, seeing the hero he'd admired his whole life coming to fight them, while Bakugou used his flash bomb attack, then leapt right at him. It predictably failed as All Might got ahold of him, despite the numerous explosions he was being showered with and slammed him on the ground.

Midoriya's attempt to evade All Might went just as poorly, with the pro hero moving too fast for him to get away from. That, and Bakugou's unwillingness to cooperate made for a painful spectacle as Midoriya wound up trapped underneath a piece of guardrail while Bakugou was hit so hard in the stomach he threw up and was rendered barely able to stand for a moment. All Might took that moment to lecture Bakugou for a bit, though none of them could hear what he said or the explosion quirk user's response. That's when the unexpected happened, Midoriya leapt got out from under the guard rail with full cowl and slammed his fist into Bakugou's face before grabbing him and retreating into the alleys.

"HAHAHA, YES!" Cheered Slade, louder than anyone was expecting, "You finally decked him in the face!"

"I don't really think you should be cheering for a guy who punches his partner in the face," commented Tsuyu as she put a finger to her chin.

"You're telling me you've never wanted to deck 'em before," questioned Clay, "Then again you've probably got a lot more patience than either of us."

"Whether or not you want to deck him, the fact of the matter is that they're partners in this," said Iida, "And partners shouldn't be fighting each other."

"You should save the lecture for Bakugou," said Slade, "He's the one who was refusing to work together with Midoriya in the first place. If knocking his lights out and dragging him through the escape gate is what needs to happen, then that's his own fault."

"You guys are always awfully hard on him?" Noted Uraraka, "Did he do something to the two of you before you came here?"

"You'll have to ask Midoriya for those details," replied Clay, "let's just say middle school was a pain in the neck for all three of us before Slade and I were sent to America." Uraraka looked like she wanted to say more, but Bakugou and Midoriya were engaging All Might again, and with Midoriya using Bakugou's right gauntlet! Not only that, once they blasted All Might, they both rushed towards the escape gate at top speed.

"They're actually working together," said Jirou, voicing everyone else's surprise, "I guess miracles can happen." 'But will it be enough?' Thought Clay as the gate came in sight. All Might caught up with them surprisingly quickly, destroying both gauntlets in a flash before knocking his students to the ground. They tried to counterattack, only for Bakugou to wind up beneath All Might's heel while Midoriya dangled from All Might's large arm.

It was a tense moment until Bakugou unleashed his explosions at what Clay could only assume was full power, something he hadn't seen since the sports festival. All Might was pushed back temporarily as Midoriya made for the escape gate, or at least he was until Bakugou found himself once again pinned by the symbol of peace. What happened next was a surprise to some of the onlookers, but not to Clay or Slade as Midoriya used his full cowl to hit All Might with everything he had, slamming his fist right into his idol's face before grabbing his teammate and running out through the gate, with All Might apparently too out of steam to chase after them. "And that's game!" cheered Slade as he brought his hand to his fist.

Everyone else was cheering in their own way as well with Tsuyu and Uraraka jumping up and down while Momo and Iida looked on in awe. "They actually did it," said Jirou, "And despite all your naysaying, they even managed to work together."

"Not really naysaying," said Clay, "I just doubted Bakugou would forego his pride in order to win. But, it seems even he can swallow a bit of it when he needs to." An announcement blared over the speakers then, declaring the final test and all other practical exams over. And a bittersweet ending it was, given that five of them had failed the exam. But even those who'd passed realized they still had much to learn and an ever increasing road of hardships ahead. But with that realization also came a renewed determination to do better and be better, so that what stopped them before wouldn't stop them in the future.

We'd also learn in time, that we weren't the only ones looking towards the future. In the shadowy depths of a secretive bar, new enemies gathered to strengthen the league of villains. They'd soon present their own challenge to us and to the symbol of peace in a turn of events that would shake the hero community as we knew it. All of it would start with a simple warning.

 **At long last, the practical exams have come to a close and our heroes can finally relax, not. They may be able to take a breather right now, but that won't last long as the league of villains begins making their next move. Hello everyone, hope you enjoyed this latest chapter and the little flashback about Clay and Slade's first meeting with Bakugou. As always, feel free to leave a comment or review on what you liked/disliked, if you think the story might be running out of steam or if you've got a cool idea to help make it better. Be sure to stop in next time as some of the students of class 1A have a tense encounter with members of the league of villains at the local mall. 'Til then.**


	41. Shopping Malls and Super Villains

**Shopping Malls and Super Villains**

Class 1A

Midoriya's condition had been pretty rough after the test, with some damage to his back caused by All Might. The good news, it was nothing Recovery Girl couldn't fix with her quirk and a few painkillers. Then there was the bad news. They'd been hearing all week that anyone who failed the practical exam, wouldn't be allowed to come to the forest training camp with the rest of the class. This meant that Sero, Kirishima, Sato, Kaminari and Mina were all staying to endure the torment of summer school with Aizawa. This also meant Clay and the others were stuck trying to cheer them up.

"Take pictures if you can," moaned Mina in a sad tone, "Just try to have enough fun for all of us as well."

"Hey now, there's no need to get too upset over it," said Midoriya, in an attempt to cheer up the five depressed students, "Maybe sensei's got some trick up his sleeve, or maybe there was a hidden variable like in the entrance exams. Clay, you know how Sensei is, do you think he pulled one over on us again?"

"Maybe he did and maybe he didn't," said Clay as he rubbed the back of his head, "As a student, I'm supposed to be kept in the dark about these kinds of things too. I only hear things when Uncle doesn't mind telling me or he lets something slip during his visits."

"But you're also his nephew, ya know, family," said Mina as she grabbed Clay around the waist in a pleading manner, "Surely he'd be willing to make an exception if you asked him. Maybe not for all five of us but maybe one or two. Or if he did tell you some secret, you could let us know now and then we'd act surprised when he walked in!"

"I would if I could," Said Clay as he tried to loosen his pink-skinned friend's grip before she squeezed the air out of him, "But I don't really have that kind of pull with my Uncle. All I can really say is that he may have used 'rational deception' again to motivate us."

"Auuuuugh," whined Mina as she buried her head against the cloud user's stomach, poking him a bit with her horns.

"Uh, there there," said Clay as he patted her head, "A little help here anyone, I don't really have a motivational speech for this kind of thing."

"We'll just have to hope sensei was using rational deception," said Midoriya, "In fact, I'm sure he used it now that I think about it."

"I appreciate you guys tryin' to help," said Sero as he put a hand on Midoriya's shoulder, "But now that you've gone and said it. You probably just jinxed us."

"Aw way to go Midoriya!" exclaimed Kaminari as he poked him in the eyes, "Now we're not going to camp for sure! So at least bring us back some souvenirs or something." This spectacle would've continued if not for Slade speaking up.

"Uh guys," said Slade, "Teach is here." That statement was all that was needed as the door to class slid open.

"When the bell rings, you're all expected to be seated," stated Aizawa as he looked in, and noted that surprisingly, everyone was seated. "Now then, good morning class, I imagine you're all wondering about the results of the final exams. Unfortunately, we did have a few that did not pass, so in the case of the training camp, everyone's going!"

"Awesome, it was a twist after all!" exclaimed the five students who'd flunked the practical.

"You're all fortunate that no one bombed the written exam," explained Aizawa, "as for the practical, two teams and Sero failed, rather badly I might add. The way the matches were set up, the teachers all left a way for you to escape, otherwise none of you would've passed. The point of this was so we could observe your teamwork and your approaches to an unfavorable situation."

"But I thought the only limiter on the teachers was those weights," said Ojiro, "they all said they weren't holding back."

"That was mostly to keep you focused and a little on edge," answered Aizawa, "the training camp is meant to build up your strength and the ones that need it the most are those who failed. Our intention was never to split you up, it was just a simple logical deception." Clay couldn't help but notice that his Uncle was grinning in that strange way he did whenever he thought he did something clever.

"ANOTHER ONE!" yelled the five failed students as Iida shook with his own form of anger.

"You tricked us all, I should've expected it yet I believed every word," said Iida before standing up out of his seat, "Aizawa Sensei, this is the second time you've blatantly lied to us. Are you not at all concerned that we'll lose faith in you?!"

"That's putting it a little bluntly there, don't you think Iida," commented Uraraka.

"I suppose you do have something of a point," replied Aizawa, "I'll take it into consideration."

"Iida," said Clay, "If you haven't picked up on it already, I don't think he gives a $ %, he'll do it if he thinks it'll teach us a lesson."

"Regardless, most of what I said was true," said Aizawa, "failure is still failure. Those that didn't pass the exam will be getting extra lessons, and they'll make summer school seem like paradise." This had the appropriate effect of deflating most of the happy attitudes of Mina and the others. Aizawa then started going over the logistics of the trip, and by the time the discussion was over, so was class time.

"Man, it's still unbelievable that we're all able to go together," Said Ojiro as he looked at the camping guide that had been passed out at the end of class, "This is gonna be awesome!"

"The guide says we'll be at the camp for an entire week," said Iida, "that means a lot of supplies."

"I'll need a bigger bag," said Midoriya, thinking out loud more than anything.

"I just need some actual camping clothes," said Slade, "All I got right now is gym and regular."

"I got an idea," said Hagakure, waving her invisible arms excitedly, "Why don't we all go on a shopping trip together!"

"That's an awesome idea!" Exclaimed Kaminari, "I don't think we've actually hung out as a class outside of school before."

"Heck I got no plans tomorrow," said Slade with a shrug, "Why not. You in Clay?"

"I got no good reason to say no," replied Clay, "And if we're all gonna be hanging around each other for a week anyway, may as well get used to it now."

"That settles it!" Exclaimed an excited Hagakure, "Tomorrow will be Class 1A's big shopping trip!"

Kiyashi Ward Mall: The Next Day

'Just how many stores are in this place,' thought Clay as he looked around the gigantic mall. The place was set up with multiple levels with several walkways crossing over and around them. What was the most interesting feature of the mall was the open ceiling design, especially with the sunny weather. Each floor was lined with shops for clothing, supplies, toys, beauty products, or pretty much anything you might need. This also made the mall a huge attraction for people from all around, which meant it was crowded. Very, very crowded.

For the occasion, Clay had gone with a standard outfit with a blue shirt that had the kanji 'cloudy' in white letters and black pants. Slade had elected to wear long, brown pants with a white, sleeveless shirt. Everyone else was dressed in their own form of casual clothes, and were so excited that no one knew where to start first.

"This is incredible," said Midoriya, "They have clothes and equipment here that can suit all kinds of people with different quirks, not to mention they come in different sizes and tactical colors,-." The green-haired boy continued his characteristic muttering until Tokoyami stopped him, saying that he was probably scaring the children.

"Hey, aren't those U.A. students," called a few bystanders. "It is, Class 1A from the sports festival!" 'Ah crap,' thought Clay as a small crowd formed around them, 'I keep forgetting I have another reason not to go to crowded places these days.'

"I can't believe they still remember the sports festival," said Uraraka, still not used to the extra attention herself.

"It does seem like forever ago thanks to the exams," said Slade as he looked out over the crowd of people, "But really it's only been a few weeks." Everyone else nodded in understanding as they endured the numerous cheers from their apparent fans. Eventually they were able to get to a less crowded section of the mall where they had fewer distractions to come up with a shopping strategy. Everyone had one or two particular items that they needed for the trip, so the plan was for everyone to split into groups and meet back up in the same spot around three.

"Alright," said Clay as he turned to Midoriya and Uraraka, "What's on the list for-?"

"Ah uh," said Mina as she suddenly grabbed Clay's arm, "I need a guy's opinion on a few things. We'll see you all at three!" The pink-skinned girl didn't give Clay much of a chance to protest as she practically drug him away with her surprising strength.

"Huh," said Slade as he scratched his head, "I wonder what that was about. If I didn't know better I'd think Clay and Mina were up to more than just shopping."

"I guess that just leaves us three," said Midoriya as he turned to Uraraka, "so what should we shop for first? I need some heavier wrist weights for training."

"Well I'm fairly stocked up on supplies," said Uraraka, "I mostly just need bug spray right now."

"Whatever it takes to keep the boy cooties off ya right," quipped Slade with a slight smirk. This comment unfortunately had the unintended effect of bringing Clay's words into Uraraka's mind. 'Ya gonna confess your true feelings to him or something?' Once again, Uraraka felt her face getting extremely warm.

"I-I just need to keep pests away, that's all!" Exclaimed Uraraka as she turned and hurried away, leaving a confused Midoriya and Slade standing there.

"She doesn't mean we're the pests, does she?" Questioned Midoriya. Slade could only shrug, wondering what had gotten into the gravity girl.

'Stupid Slade,' thought Uraraka as she continued to hurry along, 'And stupid Clay for putting the thought in my head in the first place! At least I think he put it there?'

Another Section of the Kiyashi Mall

"Stupid Clay," Said Jirou under her breath. Despite this, Momo still managed to hear the comment.

"Did you say something Jirou," asked Momo as they were walking along the second floor.

"Oh it's nothing," said Jirou, "Just thinking of what sort of color says 'rocker' on a bag and realized that grey wouldn't cut it."

"Really, it kinda sounded like you said 'stupid Clay,'" Momo pointed out.

"What," replied Jirou, more nervously than she meant to, "No I said 'stupid gray,' it would look terrible on a rocker bag!" Momo gave her a look that said she wasn't entirely convinced. "And even if I did, wouldn't it be true? The guy doesn't even notice when a girl might like him! I mean come on, the most hyper girl in the class treats him like a big brother for the entire semester and now she's drug him off to who knows where and he's still not getting the message!"

"So are you upset that he's not responding to Mina's supposed affection, or are you concerned about the fact that Mina drug him off in the first place?" Questioned Momo.

"I'm concerned that the guy apparently doesn't respond to romance whatsoever," said Jirou as she gripped her head in frustration, "If he keeps it up he's gonna wind up like Aizawa sensei and spend his downtime in sleeping bags made out of clouds!"

"I didn't know you cared so much about Clay's love life," said Momo as they entered a store which specialized in selling outdoor bags and gear, "Usually you'd just say our friends could do whatever they wanted so long as it wasn't stupid. Or maybe you're not actually upset at Clay."

"How do ya figure that," said Jirou as they began browsing the carrying bags, "I just spent a full minute ranting about it."

"Well maybe I should rephrase," said Momo, "You're not just upset at Clay I think you're upset at Mina too."

"Why would I be upset at Mina?" Questioned Jirou with a confused look on her face.

"We're all here hanging out as a class," explained Momo, "A class which split up, but instead of you and me going with Clay and Slade, Mina drug off Clay. I think you're mad at Mina because you didn't think to do it first." Jirou seemed to process what her friend had just said, getting redder by the second until she turned to some of the bags.

"So, how do you think this bag would do for camping," asked Jirou, turning away to hide her red face as she pointed to a random carrying bag. Momo simply shook her head.

Hip Section of Kiyashi Ward Mall

"Mina," said Clay as he stood outside the dressing room of a clothing store he'd been dragged into. The student hadn't even really gotten a chance to catch the name of the store, only that Mina said it was a 'hip' designer store. "I don't think this is the kind of store to find camping supplies."

"Oh my camping stuff is more or less set already," said Mina as she opened the door, "But what I don't have is a new set of summer clothes, so what do you think of these?" The acid user had changed out of her purple shirt into a short-sleeved, white shirt with the kanji 'alien' on it in green letters and a pair of jean shorts. She also did a quick spin to show Clay that the kanji was on both sides.

"You don't think it's showing too much of your midriff?" Questioned Clay, "Or is that what you're aiming for?"

"I'm aiming for something that says 'it's summer and I'm fashionable!'" replied Mina as she went back into the changing room to try on the next outfit.

"Well that just brings us back to the question I've been trying to ask since you drug me away in the first place," said Clay, "What in the world do you think I know about fashion?"

"And I told you, I need a 'guy's' opinion," said Mina from the other side of the door, "I do want to turn some heads if I can."

"But why not Kirishima or Kaminari?" Questioned Clay, "Come to think of it, when did you start caring whether or not you turned any heads? You do that already just by being you."

"Well we both know that Kaminari's kind of a perv," said Mina as she opened the door, "Who'd probably beg me to try on something that would give him a bloody nose." Clay could kind of see why, given that the pink girl was now wearing a black, short-sleeved shirt with the English spelling of 'Acid' on the front that left some of her shoulders exposed. She also had on some hiking shorts that seemed just the slightest bit high above her knees.

"And Kirishima," Clay asked, still wondering about his friend's logic.

"Kirishima may be all about this 'manliness' thing," explained Mina, "But he's also a little too nice when it comes to something like this. He'd probably just say that all of these look nice on me."

"Well he wouldn't necessarily be wrong," Clay pointed out, "But what makes you think I'd be more decisive?"

"You've got this occasional blunt honesty thing about you," replied Mina, "I'm not sure if you've noticed or not. For example, what do you think of this outfit?"

"Depends," Said Clay, "If you want to draw a little more attention to yourself, this will definitely do it. But on the same token, it's better for the outdoors than the last one. By a small degree anyway."

"Good enough," said Mina as she grabbed some of the other clothes, "Now let's check out and find another store!" Clay could only shake his head as the energetic girl bought half of the clothes she'd tried on before once again taking his arm and leading him out of the store.

"Quick question," said Clay after they'd been walking for a couple of minutes, "I think I get why you needed me, specifically, for this little venture of yours now. But this whole leading me around by the arm thing you got going on makes me wonder. Are you trying to make someone jealous or something?"

"What?!" questioned Mina with a surprised look on her face, "I mean, why would I need to make someone jealous? You and I just haven't talked as much lately, not since you got back from your internship."

"Well we did have finals to prepare for," said Clay, "None of us have really been able to hang out or talk as much because of that."

"It's not just that Clay," said Mina as she stopped suddenly and stood in front of the cloud user, "You and Slade both have been acting differently since you got back from your internship. Slade, Momo, you and Jirou all act like you're in on some secret joke now."

"Ah I see," Said Clay as he put a hand to his chin, "So this isn't a plot to make someone jealous but you did have an ulterior motive for going off with just me."

"What happened at the internship Clay?" Questioned Mina, "I know Momo and Jirou didn't encounter the hero killer with you guys, so it was definitely something else. So spill it." Clay was about to answer when the both of them were interrupted by another party.

"Hellooooo!" Said an excited female voice that neither of them recognized. Turning towards the source of the greeting, they saw a girl with blond, messy hair that was stylized into two buns, who was wearing what appeared to be a kind of school uniform with a shirt that kind of resembled a tan sweater and a blue skirt. But what unnerved Clay slightly was her strange, Cheshire smile and pointed canine teeth. "You two are from U.A. right," questioned the strange girl as she rocked back and forth with her hands behind her back, "I have a couple of teensy little questions I'd like to ask you."

Close to the Mall Center

Slade and Midoriya had a problem, a big problem. One minute, they'd been wandering around trying to find Uraraka, and the next thing they knew, this weirdo in a dark blue hoodie walks up, acting like him and Izuku were pals. The guy even went so far as to throw his arm around the green-haired boy's neck. "Dude, you ever hear of personal space," Slade had said, "you gotta know someone on a personal level before you start doing that kind of stuff."

"Sorry," said the guy in the blue hoodie, "It's just so exciting to meet someone who not only placed high in the sports festival but also encountered the hero killer."

"You're pretty well informed," said Midoriya nervously, "how did you know we ran into the hero killer?"

"Well I could say I'm a big fan," said the stranger, "But this is also the second time we've all run into each other."

"Second time?" questioned Slade as a memory flashed through his head. The last time he'd encountered a weird guy with messy blue hair was, the USJ.

"Oh that's right, we've only seen each other from a distance up to this point," said the stranger as he suddenly gripped Midoriya's throat from behind him. "For you two, this is your first time meeting me, Slade Mason and Izuku Midoriya!"

"You!" Slade said as he stepped forward, intending to clobber the villain that stood before them, Tomura Shiguraki.

"Ah ah ah," said Shiguraki as his middle finger hovered over Midoriya's throat, "if all five fingers of my hand touch his throat, it'll disintegrate in a matter of seconds."

"At the right density I can cross a short distance like this in hardly two seconds," said Slade, "And I'm estimating high when I say that. Not to mention there's a split second activation window between your fingers touching something and it starting to disintegrate. Do you really wanna make a bet on which of our quirks'll be quicker in this instance?"

"You left out one thing," said an unfamiliar voice as a man came walking out from behind a pillar that had been situated near the center of the mall, "you'll be leaving yourself vulnerable at low density to move that quickly, and I can assure you, my quirk is much more instantaneous." The man had short, cropped red hair and was wearing a large, red and white jacket with baggy pants. But what caught Slade's eye was his right hand, which seemed to have something protruding from the palm as it rested by his side.

"But you couldn't risk something like that," said Midoriya to Shiguraki as the other man approached, "With so many people here, a hero would come and stop the both of you in no time."

"Oh no doubt," said Shiguraki, "But look around you. There's so many sheep without a care in the world, without even the slightest fear that something bad will happen. Sure, a hero would show up and capture us eventually, but with my friend Ballistic M and I going crazy, how many do you think would die before a hero even showed up? At least thirty, no fifty, it would certainly be a high number don't you think?"

Neither of the hero students answered but they did relax their stances a bit, which was more than enough to let the villains know that they got the message. "Alright," Izuku finally said, "What is it you want?"

"Why just a simple chat," replied Shiguraki with a wry grin, his cracked up mouth and red eyes barely hiding how insane he was. "Why don't we find a place to sit down? And wipe those serious looks off your faces, because as far as everyone else is concerned right now, we're all just some old buddies who are catching up." Slade and Midoriya didn't like it one bit, but they had no choice as they moved over to a bench and a café table. Slade sat at the table with Ballistic M across from him, the latter of which had a small smirk on his face, while Shigaraki sat down at the bench with his fingers still around Midoriya's throat.

"Alright," said Slade as he crossed his arms, "You've got us at gunpoint, so to speak, so what is it you wanted to discuss 'friend?'"

"Well it all really boils down to a question I've had for a little bit," said Shigaraki, "you see, I hate all kinds of things about the world these days, but most recently it's the hero killer who's really pissing me off."

"So it's true then," said Midoriya, "he wasn't with you guys in the first place."

"We tried to recruit him not long ago," answered Shigaraki, "and though the media would have you believe otherwise, that's as far as we got with him. But that's the problem right there. Even after attacking the USJ and unleashing Nomus on the city, the one that makes the front page is the hero killer. It's like the entire world is obsessed with him now! But in the end, he and I are both just trying to get rid of the things we hate, so why am I left by the wayside? So my question is this, what do you two think is the real difference between me and the hero killer."

"Well for starters he's not some upstart who gets whiney when things don't go his way," said Slade, "He disciplined himself to the point of being a credible threat who knew how to keep his head in a fight, unlike you. How are the hands and feet after Clay shot 'em up by the way?"

"You'd best watch your tone Mr. Mason," said Shiguraki as his grip tightened a little on Izuku's throat, "That no account friend of yours merely caught me off-guard. He won't get me so easily a second time, especially not when I've placed a kill on sight order on him." Slade clenched his fist at that as the villain directed his gaze to Midoriya. "What do you think, Midoriya, what's the difference between me and Stain?"

"The difference," said Midoriya, understandably shakily, "Well from my perspective, the hero killer wasn't killing for the fun of it. He had a goal, something he truly wanted to accomplish, and even when things started looking bad he held firm to his beliefs. He had conviction, and that's the difference between you two as I see it." Tomura didn't say anything at first as the green-haired boy's words resonated in his head. Then a wicked smile spread across his face.

"Of course, it all makes sense now," said Tomura, "Why I hate the hero killer, why you utterly piss me off. It was right in front of me the whole time. All Might's the problem, the reason everyone can go around smiling without a care in the world is because of that grinning idiot. I don't have to change my goals or my ways, I was just overthinking things. Oh it's so much clearer to me now, I thank you Izuku Midoriya!"

The villain was so excited that he didn't notice a newcomer until she spoke up. "Hey guys," said Uraraka, confused at the sight before her, "What's going on exactly?"

Hip Section of Kiyashi Ward Mall

"So you really only showed up at the last part of the hero killer's capture," said the strange blonde-haired girl, "That's a little disappointing."

"If that's what you want to call it," said Clay, who was still wary of the strange girl. Mina had picked up on this a little too and was standing slightly behind him because of it, "He was a dangerous maniac who was trying to hurt my friends. That's all I really needed or cared to know. If you want any more details than that, you'll have to see if Endeavor is in a sharing mood."

"Oh there's no need for that," replied the girl with a simple wave of her hand, "I was just hoping for some bloody details anyway. But since I'm here, why don't you tell me about the boy that likes to break himself, what was his name, Midoriya?"

"That's just backlash from his quirk," explained Clay, "He doesn't break his bones because it's fun."

"Really," said the girl as she put both of her hands to her chin, "What's he like? Does he have a thing for blonds and what color's his hero costume? Hopefully it's not too red, you couldn't see him bleeding then!" The blond girl was apparently getting more excited by the minute and needless to say, it was creeping Clay and Mina out big time.

"Oh crap," said Clay as he suddenly looked at his watch, "We're running late Mina, we need to go."

"What do you-," Mina was about to ask until she saw the serious look on Clay's face, "I mean yeah. We've got a train to catch pretty soon and we can 'not' miss it, believe me."

"Aaaaah, but I still have more questions," said the girl as she put her hands behind her back.

"And if we run into you again we'll be sure to answer them," said Clay as they both turned to leave, "But we really need to go."

"But I also have something I need to tell you," said the girl as a wry grin crossed her face. She then charged forward, flipping a knife out as she aimed for Clay's back. Having little time to react, Clay spun around, just barely stopping the knife with the clothing bag he'd been holding. "You're on the league's kill on sight list!"

The insanity was clear then as the girl laughed happily before she yanked her knife out and slashed at Clay again. The cloud user managed to deflect the next couple of shots before Mina came out from behind him with a straight jab at the girl's face. But she was as nimble as she was crazy, easily avoiding Mina's punches before spinning and kicking her in the side, knocking the pink-skinned girl over before resuming her attack on Clay.

The cloud user was ready for her speed this time, however, and deflected her knife before swinging back with the bag. The blond ducked around the blow then dodged Clay's back kick before going in with another stab at her prey's midsection. But this time Clay managed to catch the knife by enclosing the bag around it and yanking it out of her hand, leaving their enemy weaponless. Mina took that moment to charge in with an uppercut which nearly connected with the girl's chin. The blond quickly retreated backwards as Mina threw a hand full of acid towards her.

But in another feat of acrobatics, the blond cartwheeled then flipped backwards onto the railing of the walkway. "Wow, that's scary," said the girl as she saw the smoking holes Mina's acid was melting in the floor, "I'd love to keep playing with you two, but I don't want to die." Clay and Mina rushed towards their attacker, but were too late to stop her from jumping down to the next level and speeding away into the crowd, managing to only draw a few curious onlookers.

"Clay," said Mina as she turned towards her classmate, "Who or what in the world was that?"

"She said the league," replied Clay, "She was a villain. Which means we need to find Midoriya and the others now!" Mina couldn't agree more as they rushed back to the center of the mall.

Mall Center

"Get," said Uraraka shakily, "Get your hands off of him right now." The girl was clearly nervous, if not terrified as she realized that the people Midoriya and Slade were talking too were not friends.

"Who in the world was this little girl aga-," Ballistic M started to say, his attention off Slade for a moment. A moment was all the density shifter needed as he swiftly grabbed and tossed a salt shaker from the table at Shigaraki, nailing the villain in the face. He released Midoriya as he grabbed at his hurting nose. In that short instant, Ballistic M turned his attention back to Slade.

"Midoriya move!" Exclaimed Slade as he kicked the table upwards, raising his density at the same time while rolling away. Midoriya had already been moving then as well, quickly moving away from his captor as the two students regrouped in front of Uraraka. This all occurred in only a few seconds as Ballistic M and Shigaraki regrouped themselves.

"Why you little-," said Ballistic M as he pointed his hand at the students.

"Wait now, let's all just calm down a bit," said Shigaraki, surprisingly with his hands raised in an apologetic gesture, "This is all just a misunderstanding. We get it, you guys are here with friends. I promise we had no idea, sorry to bother you. Let's go M."

"You sure," questioned Ballistic, who still had his hand raised.

"I got what we came for," said Shigaraki as he put his hands back in his pockets and began walking, "So we can be on our way now."

"Just a minute!" Said Izuku, who along with Slade hadn't relaxed their fighting posture, "Tell me, what is All for One after?" Shigaraki stopped for a moment, not bothering to turn around.

"I really couldn't say," Replied Shigaraki, "But I will give you a little warning. The next time we meet, I'll probably kill all of you." The two villains walked off then, quickly disappearing into the crowd of oblivious onlookers. The three friends waited for another minute before finally relaxing.

"What," Uraraka started to ask before taking a deep breath, "Why was Shigaraki here?" Slade and Midoriya were about to answer when Clay and Mina showed up. Mina was a little hysterical as she gave Uraraka a hug while Clay relayed what happened with their own villain encounter. Shortly after that, they called the rest of their classmates back as Uraraka reported the incident to the police. The mall was shut down for a while after that as they conducted a massive search.

But they didn't turn up any trace of Shiguraki or the other villains. The only good news out of the whole situation was that there were apparently only three villains, meaning the rest of class 1A hadn't been attacked. Of course that didn't mean there weren't more out there waiting for them.

That Evening

"Well this has been one pain in the ## ending to the day," said Slade as he and Clay walked out of the police station, "Worst part is it started off so well."

"No kidding," said Clay as he rubbed the back of his head, "Nice move there against the two villains by the way. Wish I coulda seen it in person."

"A trick I picked up at the internship," said Slade, "just about anything can be a tool or a weapon with a little creative thinking."

"Sounds like something my Uncle told me once," said Clay before a thought struck him, causing him to halt at the gate to the station. "We're in this for good now aren't we?"

"How do ya mean?" Questioned Slade, not quite sure where his friend was going with his comment.

"We've made enemies of this Shigaraki guy," said Clay, "And we've been put on a kill list for every villain that is and will be a part of the league until it's shut down. Not to mention we'll most definitely make more enemies before then. So I guess what I'm saying is, even if we were to quit U.A. right now, we'd still have to watch our backs."

"You aren't saying this now because you're considering quitting U.A. are you?" Questioned Slade with a hint of concern in his voice.

"Quite the opposite actually," replied Clay, "This just means that even with the first semester over, we can't slack off. We need to keep improving and become the best we can be. That way, it'll be the villains who have to watch their backs for us."

"Well when you put it that way," said Slade as he held his hand out, "I'm all for it." The two then proceeded with their usual bro handshake. After that, the both of them slept quite soundly in their respective homes, ready to take on tomorrow.

 **Shiguraki has found his conviction, but the other heroes are just as determined to stop him now. But what will the League of Villains next move be? Hello everyone, hope you're all doing well and let me give out a quick apology for getting this out a day later than intended. But, hopefully you enjoyed this chapter enough for the wait to be worth it, so as always, feel free to leave a comment or review about what you liked/disliked or if you've got any cool ideas that you think would go well in the story. Be sure to stop in next time as Class 1A gets a little competitive at the school swimming pool. 'Til next time.**


	42. The Forest, The First Obstacle

**The Forest, The First Obstacle**

Outside U.A.

The school semester had ended and with it came summer vacation. At any regular school the students would probably be at home or off traveling somewhere. But this was the number one hero school, which meant that even in the off season, they were still working to get better. Currently, Class 1A was loosely lined up outside of the school in front of the buses that would soon depart for the training camp. "Alright listen up," said Aizawa, "summer vacation may have started, but don't treat this training camp as a place for goofing off or resting. While you're there, we'll be testing you to push past your limits. Always remember, your aim is to become plus ultra-heroes, understood?"

"Yes sir," everyone responded in acknowledgement of their teacher. Once Aizawa turned away and headed on the bus, everyone visibly relaxed. Some, like Mina, Kaminari, and Uraraka were happily cheering at the prospect of camping, though Clay couldn't help but notice that things had been decidedly more awkward between Uraraka and Midoriya lately. 'It'd be understandable if it was just Midoriya being awkward,' thought Clay, 'But Uraraka's acting funny too. I know I was joking at the time when I said she liked him, but I am starting to wonder.' Unfortunately, Clay's wondering was interrupting by the sound of an annoying voice that belonged to class 1B.

"Well, well!" Exclaimed Monoma, who was standing by the rest of Class 1B at their own bus, "I heard a few members of Class 1A actually failed the final exam! Given that you're supposed to be the top class that must be embarrassing, oh you must be wallowing in shame right about now!"

"You know if you're gonna shoot your mouth off," said Clay as he turned towards the arrogant student, "You need to do a better job of hiding the fact that you're shaking like a leaf."

"Shaking, who's shaking," said Monoma, who may not have noticed that his ankles were in fact trembling, "You'd actually have to be intimidating for me to be shaking." Slade took that moment to crack his neck, causing Monoma to jump a little. "I've got nothing to fear, I'm just-AAAACK!" The 1B student collapsed, courtesy of one of Kendo's Karate chops to the back of his neck.

"Don't pay him any mind," said Kendo as she drug Monoma off, much to the relief of both Class 1A and 1B.

"You're a charming and wonderful person Kendo," said Slade with a wave, "And don't let anyone tell you otherwise."

"I know, but thanks anyway," Kendo called back before signaling the rest of 1B to start boarding the bus.

"See you at camp Clay," called one of the girls from class 1B, a friendly looking blond girl with a pair of white, lyre-shaped horns on her head.

"Just try to stay out of trouble 'til then Pony," Clay called back as he waved.

"Who was that," asked Slade as they turned back towards the bus for their class.

"Pony Tsunotori," replied Clay, "She's an exchange student from America. I bumped into her after the sports festival and found out she doesn't speak Japanese so well. Since we weren't doing the whole class rivals thing anymore, I offered to help her out with any words or sentences she was having trouble with. She's still got a lot to learn but she's making much better progress than she was."

"Well wasn't that nice of you," said Slade, "But I suppose after all the time you've spent helping me learn English it only makes since you'd help someone who's struggling with a problem similar to your own."

"Yeah," Said Clay, "But for some reason I feel like I should've mentioned it sooner."

"Why do you say that?" Questioned Slade, though he was feeling a similar feeling at that moment.

"Not entirely sure," said Clay as they went to board the bus at Iida's signal. Unbeknownst to them, the source of this feeling was likely the fact that Jirou and Momo were giving the both of them death glares at the backs of their heads. Though they'd deny it if anyone asked, their glares were those of mild jealousy.

Once they boarded the bus, Aizawa urged them to stay focused as the first stop would be about an hour away. A warning which went unheard as everyone started up their own little conversations, switched on their music, or simply fell asleep. Iida tried to maintain order, but it was a losing battle as the bus made its way down the highway.

A Little While Later

As promised, they reached their first stop, a type of overlook, after about an hour of driving. Having traveled between countries before, Clay and Slade didn't have much of a problem. Some of the other students like Mineta, however, were less accustomed to long distance travel and ready to get off the bus. But as they all exited the bus, Clay noticed something odd. As he looked around, there was no rest area in sight and the only thing that was on the Cliffside overlook was a black car.

"Man I was ready to get off that bus," said Kaminari as he and a number of the other students stretched out.

"We're here for more than just a simple rest stop," stated Aizawa, ignoring Mineta, who was frantically searching for a bathroom. It was at that moment that a pair of women stepped out of the car wearing matching outfits that reminded Clay of cheerleading uniforms with cat paws, tails and ears to add to the look.

"Hey Eraser, it's been awhile," said one of the women who was blond and wearing the blue version of the uniform.

"Indeed, it's good to see you all again," said Eraser as he made a slight bow. The other woman who had short, brown hair and wore a pink version of the cat uniform, struck a pose alongside her companion then as she introduced them.

"Your feline fantasies have arrived!" declared the brown-haired hero.

"Incredibly cute and incredibly cat-like," added the blond one with her own pose before they both said in unison. "WE'RE THE WILD WILD PUSSY CATS!" Everyone in class 1A simply stared at the hero team before them, not really recognizing them. Well, everyone except Clay and Midoriya.

"These are the pros who will be overseeing your training while you're at the training camp," explained Aizawa.

"Oh yeah, I remember now," said Clay as he rubbed his head, "You guys are-." Clay didn't get very far before he was interrupted by an excited Midoriya.

"They're a four person team with specialized skills in mountain rescue!" Exclaimed Midoriya excitedly, "They were founded way back when we were kids! In fact this'll be their twelfth year as a hero-." Izuku was then cut off as his face was smothered by the blonde's large cat paw.

"I think you'd best redo your math," said the blond with a forced smile on her face, "I'm still very much eighteen at heart!"

"Oh yeah, don't mention stuff like age around Pixie Bob here," said Clay, "It's not her favorite topic." Midoriya managed to muffle out the word 'understood' from under the large cat paw covering his face.

"And it's good seeing you here Clay," said the brown-haired pussy cat, "You'll have to tell me some time what changed your mind about becoming a hero when you get the chance."

"Sure thing Mandalay," said Clay, "assuming we'll even have that kind of time once the training gets started."

"Oh yes," said Mandalay as she turned to the rest of class 1A and did a sweeping gesture, "everyone, this entire stretch of land is owned by us and the camp you'll be staying at is right over that way at the base of the mountain." 'That's pretty far,' thought the class.

"But if it's all the way over there, then why did we stop here?" Questioned Uraraka.

"I'm pretty sure we already know the answer to that," replied Tsuyu.

"Yep," said Clay, "It's the reason I'll be referring to sensei as Uncle Dickhead for the rest of the day."

"Maybe we should just get back on the bus," Said Sero as he slowly made his way towards it.

"Yeah, I think that's probably the best idea right now," said Kaminari, with a good bit of the class now trying to get back to the bus.

"Right now, it's 9:30 in the morning," said Mandalay, "If you really hurry, you might make it by 12:30." By this point, nearly everyone was running back towards the bus except for Clay, Slade and a couple others. "Any kittens that don't make it by that time, won't be getting any lunch."

"It's pointless to run isn't it," said Slade as he went ahead and ditched his school shirt, revealing a gray tank top.

"Pretty much," said Clay as he ditched his own uniform shirt to reveal a dark blue short-sleeved one.

"You all should've figured it out by now," said Aizawa as Pixie Bob landed in front of the fleeing students, "Your training at the camp, has already begun." Pixie Bob then slammed her gloved hand on the ground, causing a wave of earth to push them all off of the cliff and down to the ground below. Clay quickly produced a cloud under his feet and a number of cloud tendrils to catch some of the students who couldn't control their falls as well while Slade managed to grab Momo in midair before upping his density to land safely, though not without making some small craters in the ground. Clay released his tendrils when they were at a safe distance and landed down with the rest of the group.

"What the heck was that?! Exclaimed Mina as she brushed the dirt off of herself.

"Pixie Bob's quirk allows her to control the earth," Clay quickly explained, "Rocks, dirt, mud, all of that is under her control."

"That's a heck of a quirk," said Midoriya, "And I left my notebook on the bus."

"Oh, before I forget," Mandalay called down to them, "this is private land, so you can use your quirks as much as you like! Also, you'll have three hours to get to the training camp, but you'll need to make it through the beast's forest to do so!"

"Did she say beast's forest," questioned Kaminari, "What is this, a freakin' adventure game."

"I just can't believe we fell for another one of Aizawa's tricks," said Jirou as everyone else stood up and dusted themselves off.

"It wouldn't have made a difference if we hadn't been tricked," said Clay, "We'd still have to do this."

"Says the guy who probably already knew this was gonna happen," commented Sero, "Did you clue in Slade too, because you both seem awfully prepared for this."

"We just wore some extra clothing underneath," said Slade, "we're in a forested area and these school uniforms are not very outdoorsy. We didn't know any more about this little detour than anyone else."

"Well we're here now," said Kirishima, "So I guess we'd better get moving either way." As it turned out, Mineta was way ahead of them as he sped into the forest looking for a good place to relieve himself. It wasn't hardly a moment later that the little grape boy started screaming in terror as a large, brown beast resembling an overgrown tiger without eyes towered over him.

"Oh crap we're so dead!" exclaimed Sero and Kaminari as the beast raised its claw to strike Mineta.

"That explains the name," said Clay as he formed his cloud gauntlets and boots. But Midoriya was slightly faster as he used his own quirk to leap in and snatch Mineta out from under the beast. Koda attempted to calm the beast with his voice but found that it was useless as the large animal stalked towards them. Taking the initiative, Todoroki, Bakugou and Iida charged forward, trapping it in ice before blasting apart its lower body with concentrated melee and explosion attacks. Izuku finished it with one quick, full cowl smash that obliterated the remaining body.

"Oh man that was awesome!" cheered Sero, "You guys really showed that beast a thing or two."

"We're not done here," Bakugou stated as he pointed down the trail. The sound of another beast could be heard making its way towards them by jumping through the trees.

"Earth made beasts, and Pixie Bob can probably create a lot of them," said Clay as he formed a large cloud axe, "If anything, we're only getting started!" As soon as he said this, the beast which resembled some kind of large lizard came into view. Clay quickly used his cloud weapon to cut down the next tree it was about to jump on, causing the beast to fall towards the ground. Slade read his friend's intentions and jumped off his shoulder at low density before increasing it and slamming into the beast in midair. They proceeded to finish it by smashing its head with a combination of a cloud hammer and a high density ax kick.

"Good work you two," said Iida, "If we keep using team attacks, we should be able to fight our way through."

"We should only fight when necessary, though," Momo cut in, "Remember we've only got three hours to get to the camp, so we should take the shortest route possible."

"Then that'll be our plan," said Iida, "Let's move out Class 1A!" No one needed to be told twice as they headed into the forest. As expected, they encountered several more earth beasts in varying shapes and sizes. Most of them were ground-based and resembled creatures from fantasy novels, though there was one that had the appearance of a dragon that was somehow capable of flight.

"Midoriya, Slade," said Clay as he floated into the air and produced a few cloud platforms, "What do ya say to a little platforming adventure?"

"Oh I've been waiting to use this!" exclaimed Midoriya as he and Slade leapt up and bounced off of the clouds, giving them plenty of momentum to smash through another earth beast before jumping back and bouncing off them again. Clay made several adjustments to the clouds positions as they advanced, allowing Slade and Midoriya to leap off of them and strike at multiple angles. 'Heh, the three of us actually working together,' thought Clay with a smile, 'I've been waiting for a day like this too.'

The rest of class 1A split off into their own teams and used their own combination attacks to destroy any of the earth beasts that came their way. Whenever they had to stop, Shoji and Jirou would use their quirks to locate any approaching beasts, allowing them an appropriate amount of time to come up with a counterattack. It was quite a spectacle for Aizawa and the other pros to watch as Class 1A fought through the forest.

Training Camp: 5:20 pm

'At $$%$ing last,' thought Clay. Their teamwork had been good, but the earth beasts had come one after the other and their quirks had their limits to the number of times they could effectively use them. But at long last they were, well, staggering into camp. Everyone was varying degrees of beat up and filthy from all the dirt flying and since they'd been fighting for basically eight hours, also starving.

"Man I'm freakin' beat," said Kaminari as he collapsed to his knees.

"I could eat a whole buffet right now," said Kirishima as he felt his stomach.

"Sorry about that everyone," said Mandalay, "We may have based the estimate for your arrival time on us. It would've taken us three hours to get through the beast's forest."

"Please tell me they're not bragging," said Sato weakly as he was practically crashing from all the sugar he'd had to consume for his quirk.

"It probably takes them only three hours because the one who makes the earth beasts is with them," Clay pointed out.

"Well they made it much faster than I thought, meow meow meow," said Pixie Bob as she snickered like a cat, "I honestly didn't expect them to do so well against my dirt monsters. Each of you performed well, especially you five." Pixie Bob pointed at a group that consisted of Iida, Bakugou, Todoroki, Midoriya and Slade. "I call dibs on grooming these little kitties myself!" The pro hero then proceeded to spit on the group, marking them like an actual cat would.

"Is she still doing that," questioned Clay as he walked up to his Uncle and Mandalay.

"It's gotten a little worse lately," explained Mandalay, "She's reached the age where it's time for her to take a mate."

"Well that explains why she's spitting on so many of my classmates," said Clay, "But upside is, she only does it once."

"If I recall, you got marked yourself a while back," Aizawa pointed out.

"Oh don't remind me," said Clay with a shudder. He'd just about managed to forget about that until now.

"Uh, speaking of people's ages," said Midoriya before a cat paw was once again clamped down on his face.

"You'd best choice your next words carefully boy," said Pixie Bob with an evil look on her face.

"No, it's nothing like that," said Midoriya, his voice again muffled by the paw glove, "I was just wondering who that boy is over there."

"Oh, this is my cousin's son," replied Mandalay as she indicated a small, dark-haired boy wearing black shorts, a white button-up shirt and a hat with a pair of small horns coming out of it. "He's living with us now. No need to be shy Kota, say hi to everyone because you're going to be around them for a while."

"Oh, well," Midoriya was about to step forward when Slade stopped him.

"Best let me handle this," said Slade as he stepped forward instead. Truth be told, there was something Slade didn't like about the kid's frowning face. "Hey kid, Slade Mason of U.A.'s hero course, how ya doing today?" The tall student had to bend down a little bit so that his hand could reach for a handshake. As it turned out, Kota wasn't interested in shaking hands at all. Instead, he punched Slade in the nether regions and instantly regretted it.

"Ah, what the heck's with you," said Kota as he held his throbbing hand.

"Yeah my density's still a bit high right now," said Slade, "I used my quirk too much and now I won't be able to alter it for a bit. So it'd be best if you didn't try hitting me right now."

"Whatever, I got no interest in hanging around with wannabe heroes anyway," replied Kota as he stormed off.

"Just think," said Clay as he walked back over to the rest of the group, "That could've been your scrotum Midoriya."

"Yeah," said Midoriya, "It hurt just watching it. I guess I owe Slade another one, but what do you think his deal is anyway?"

"He's got spunk is all," said Bakugou, actually smiling at the fact that someone hit Slade.

"He seems to be like a miniature version of you actually," Todoroki pointed out.

"What the heck is that supposed to mean!" replied Bakugou, now back to his usual angry self, "Keep talking and I'll blast you all the way to the underworld!"

"Whatever you say," replied Todoroki, clearly not concerned in the slightest about his classmate's threat.

"That'll be enough messing around for now," said Aizawa, "You need to get your belongings off the bus and into your rooms. Once that's done, you can have dinner and get washed up. It'd be best if you got a move on, because your training will start early tomorrow morning."

"Yes Uncle Dickhead," Clay replied, likely speaking for everyone else who couldn't do much more than groan at the moment.

That Night

Dinner that evening consisted of numerous dishes from rice, to dumplings, noodles, beef and a number of other assorted foods. Though if Clay was being honest, they would've been just fine with a heaping helping of prison food, given how hungry they'd been after getting through the forest. Conversation was a bit sparse, given that all anyone wanted to do was shovel plate after plate of food into their mouths. In Clay's case, he drank easily two to three times more water and other assorted drinks than anyone else to help with the dehydration overuse of his quirk caused. Of course they were quickly informed that this would be the one and only night they'd be given already prepared food, not that they needed another reason to enjoy every morsel.

Afterwards, they all went to the hot springs that were part of the lodge. Clay had never really gotten his head around the idea of a bunch of people sitting in boiling water with nothing but towels on, but given that it was the only time to wash up that they had, he didn't have any other choice but to put up with it. "So quick question Clay," said Kaminari, "The rest of us are at least a little jacked from all the training and just using our quirks in general, and while you got a build going on yourself you don't-."

"I don't look like I possess the strength I do," said Clay as he pointed to his stomach which looked surprisingly flat despite his years of hand to hand training. "The reason is actually because of my own quirk. You see like you, me using my quirk is like working out a muscle, but my body's adapted to storing more moisture, which kind of means more water weight and that consequently keeps some of my muscles from being visible."

"Man that's rough," said Kirishima, "You could work out like a bodybuilder and still not look manly."

"I prefer a fighter's physique anyway," said Clay as he leaned against one of the rocks, "Copious amounts of muscle are overrated in my opinion, and you've seen my costume, it's not like I'm trying to be seen shirtless all the time."

"Well you've always had stiff competition anyway," said Slade, whose muscles were just as defined if not more than Iida's, "The only reason my costume even has that dragon scale shirt is because I need the extra protection, otherwise I'd let the world just enjoy the show."

"I hear that," said Kirishima as the two bumped fists before going back to relaxing. Clay simply rolled his eyes at that before getting out of the water.

"Hey, where ya headin' off to Clay," Questioned Sero as he saw the cloud user leaving.

"I've never been one for long baths," replied Clay, "So I'm gonna turn in for the night."

"Your loss dude," said Kaminari. Clay simply waved at that comment before disappearing out the doorway.

"I think he's just fed up with the stalking grape over there," said Slade as he indicated Mineta, who'd been pressed against the wooden wall of the hot springs that separated them from the women's side. 'Come to think of it, I should probably turn in pretty soon myself,' thought Slade.

Some Time Later

'Yep, should've just gone with Clay when he left,' thought Slade as he exited the men's side of the springs. Shortly after his friend had left, Mineta attempted to get a peek at the girls by using his grape balls as climbing holds to scale the wooden wall. He'd just about made it to the top too if not for Kota suddenly popping out of the top and slapping him back down. It was entertaining to say the least, though he didn't think Iida deserved having the pervert's ## slamming into his face. Then Kota, having glimpsed the girl's side, fell off the wall himself.

'Why in the world would you have a kid keeping watch on the springs anyway,' thought Slade as he turned a corner. Fortunately, Midoriya reacted quickly and caught Kota using full cowl to grab him in midair, though the little tike passed out from the fall nonetheless, so Midoriya carried him to Mandalay and Pixie Bob. That pretty much ruined the relaxing atmosphere for Slade, so he'd decided to head out himself. He toweled off in the boy's changing room and donned his pants, but not his shirt so he could feel the night breeze a bit.

But as he exited the changing room, he was met by a bit of a surprising sight, Momo, with her hair down, in nothing but a long towel. The two classmates simply stared at each other for a moment before rational thought, and embarrassment, resumed. "Oh my gosh!" Exclaimed Momo as she and Slade hid in their respective hallways, leaving a wall between them.

"Sorry, sorry," said Slade, "I promise I wasn't waiting for you to walk out of there."

"I was actually just getting back," said Momo, her hands on her blushing face, "I was handling a little bathroom business."

"Well feel free to head on back into the springs," said Slade as he leaned against the wall, "I'm pretty much done here and we've got an early start tomorrow."

"Before you do," said Momo, "I actually had something I needed to ask you. You, uh, don't have to answer if you don't want to."

"Well I'm assuming it's important whatever it is," said Slade, "So ask away I guess."

"Do you, oh how should I put this," said Momo, somewhat nervously, "Do you like girls like Kendo?"

"Well that's a bit out of left field," said Slade, "What's the issue that you're bringing up something like that?"

"I know it's a strange question at a time like this," said Momo, "I don't entirely understand it myself, so like I said you don't have to answer."

"Well since you asked," said Slade as he rested his head against the wall, "I actually hadn't put much thought into it. I guess there's a lot to like about her, she's dependable, responsible, smart and not afraid to beat a guy upside the head when need be. In truth, those are probably qualities a lot of guys would like in a girl."

"I see," said Momo as she slumped against the wall a bit. Slade didn't see this, but he did pick up on the slight waver in his friend's voice.

"But you've got qualities like that too," Slade said, "You're smart, you're reliable, and definitely one of the most responsible girls I've ever met. When you're not overthinking things and trust yourself, you're a force to be reckoned with. So if you're worried about measuring up to Kendo, don't be, because you're just as wonderful and amazing as she is."

"Do you really mean that," said Momo as a hopeful smile tugged at the corners of her mouth.

"I'm as serious now as I was at the final exam," said Slade, "I would've said more if sensei hadn't been lurking around. Of course, you were worried about your place in U.A. then, so I gotta ask, why are you worrying about measuring up to Kendo now?"

"I'm not worrying about my qualities as a student right now," said Momo, "Just my qualities as a woman. And just like before, you've put some of my worries to rest."

"We could solve all of those right now ya know," said Slade, "Start off the next semester with no worries at all."

"You've done more than enough for the moment," said Momo, "I should probably get back before the rest of the girls start to wonder where I'm at."

"If that's what you want to do," said Slade, "I'll be seeing you bright and early tomorrow morning."

"Yes, good night Slade," said Momo, "And sleep well. I have a feeling tomorrow is going to be rather arduous." This statement, unfortunately turned out to be right.

Training Camp: 5:30 am the Next Morning

Everyone was lined up outside the main building, yawning to one degree or another. Clay himself was rubbing his eyes, but didn't look quite as sleep-deprived as everyone else. 'I guess I made a good call when it came to turning in early,' thought Clay. "Good Morning everyone," said Aizawa, who looked about his usual level of sleep-deprived, "Today we'll be starting training designed to increase your overall strength. The eventual goal is for you to become good enough to earn your provisional licenses, allowing you to better face the growing challenges festering in the darkness. To begin with, Bakugou," Aizawa tossed Bakugou a familiar looking baseball, "Trying throwing that."

"What, is this the fitness test all over again," questioned Bakugou as he stepped forward.

"In a way," answered Aizawa, "Your record at the start of the semester was 705.2 meters. Let's see how much you've improved."

"It's like a progress check," Mina said, "I wonder if I've gotten any better."

"I mean we've gone through a lot of $ #," said Sero, "Bakugou can probably blast that thing a mile away by now. Blow it out of the stratosphere Bakugou!"

"Yeah I got this," said Bakugou with his trademark evil grin as he wound up the pitch, "Just try not to flinch. GO DIE!" As before, the explosion quirk user blasted the ball several meters away, well into the tree line of the woods. But as he was turning back with a smug look on his face, Aizawa called out the distance.

"You managed 709.6 meters," said Aizawa as he held up his phone, showing the numbers. Bakugou's look went from smug to dumbfounded in a second.

"Wow, that was truly amazing," quipped Slade sarcastically, "You did the whole catchphrase and everything for a gain of 4.4 meters."

"Oh bite me buzz head!" Bakugou snapped back before looking at his own hand, clearly surprised that it hadn't been a better throw.

"Remember, you've all gone through a lot," said Aizawa, "But when it comes down to it, you've only had a single semester at U.A., and most of your improvements have been in the forms of mental prowess or technical application of your skills. You also managed a slight increase in your stamina as well. But fundamentally speaking, your quirks themselves haven't improved all that much. So starting now we'll be working on improving your powers."

Aizawa grinned evilly then, a look Clay learned early on to associate with bad news when it came to training. "This won't be easy either, in fact it'll be so downright difficult you'll feel like you're dying. So you'd best give it your all if you hope to survive."

 **The training camp has begun, and so has the pain. It'll be a grueling time for our heroes, but one that is guaranteed to make them stronger, provided they make it through the week. Hello everyone, hope you enjoyed this latest chapter and a very Merry Christmas to you all. A slight bit of news here, there may not be a new chapter of team WA next week given that the show itself is on hiatus for this week. In the meantime, feel free to leave a comment or a review on what you liked/disliked or if you've got any ideas on how I could make the story better. Stop in next time as Clay and Slade push their quirks to the absolute limit and beyond! 'Til next time.**


	43. The 'Not So' Secret Training Camp

**The 'Not So' Secret Training Camp**

U.A. Forest Training Camp

The sun shone on the mountainous training field that was currently inhabited by twenty students. Each one of them was engaged in their own specialized training designed specifically for helping them out with the weaknesses of their quirks or at the very least improving them. Some, like Uraraka and Kaminari were improving their tolerances to their own quirks, with Uraraka rolling about in a large, see-through ball to get her better used to zero gravity while Kaminari discharged his electricity into a high voltage battery to increase his tolerance for high amounts of his own electricity. Others, like Sero and Mineta, were working on purely producing more with their quirks before their bodies give out.

Then there were people like Slade and Midoriya, who needed to improve the uses of their quirks in combat. This translated to the both of them getting their ##$ whooped by another member of the Wild Wild Pussycats named Tiger, who was a rather tall, muscular man wearing a brown version of the pussycat's uniform and some type of mask that gave him cat-like eyes. "Come on, show me what you got!" yelled Tiger.

"Yes sir!" yelled Midoriya and Slade as they charged the pliable pro. Izuku jumped in first with a five percent punch, only for Tiger to bend out of the way and smack him into a tree with his large cat paw. Slade came in with a few punches and a kick, none of which landed as Tiger bent and twisted his body before snapping back like a tree branch. Slade managed to raise his density a bit, but the attack still managed to hit him before he could reach high density, knocking him to the ground alongside Midoriya.

"That was still too slow!" declared Tiger, "get back to those exercises and then try again!"

"Yes sir!" Slade and Midoriya yelled back as Izuku resumed his exercise of pulling in and pushing out an arm and a leg at the same time. Slade decreased his density again and started doing squats while raising and lowering a weight over his head. They would continue to repeat this process of exercise, get their # $ whooped and exercise again throughout the day.

Finally, there were the quirk users like Tokoyami, Clay and Todoroki who needed to learn how to generate and control more of their respective quirks. Tokoyami accomplished this by summoning and trying to control dark shadow in a pitch black cave while Todoroki sat in a pot nearly his height and continually tried keeping the water lukewarm by generating his ice and fire quirks one after the other in rapid succession, mostly in an attempt to try and use both at once. As for Clay, he was next to a table with multiple bottles of water while surrounding himself with every last bit of cloud he was able to produce and control, switching them into random shapes and patterns as quickly as he could. At the same time, he was also practicing different variations of grasping thunder, making it seem like a small storm was brewing in his area, with multiple lightning rods as the targets.

'To think,' mused Clay, 'this is what I could generate if I didn't worry in the slightest bit about dehydrating or hurting anyone. Maybe I've been a bit too cautious in the way I've been using my quirk up to this point.' Ordinarily, ones quirk would grow and develop over time with the rest of their body. But with the recent villain attacks, that was time they did not have, and so each and every one of them was pushing their quirks and their bodies to the limit to increase their abilities. It was this intense scene that class 1B arrived to see, and it finally dawned on them, as it had on class 1A, that it was gonna hurt.

'Oh boy,' thought Pony as she looked around the training area, 'I hope I don't have to practice near that exploding guy, or the octo-guy with the extra arms. "Tsunotori!" said 1B's homeroom teacher, Vlad, startling the horned student. Like Aizawa, the white-haired man often wore a bit of a scowl on his face. His hero outfit consisted of a red body suit with black lines that left some of his upper chest exposed and was rounded off with a pair of gauntlets sporting tubes that connected to his back. "Head over there by the two 1A girls at the Cliffside. Start by strengthening your horns!"

"Hai!" exclaimed Pony as she rushed over to where Jirou and Mina were currently at. The purple-haired girl was currently strengthening her earphone jacks by jamming them into the sheer rock face. Next to her was Mina who was producing a constant stream of acid from each hand against the same rock face in order to toughen up her hands against her quirk. As for Pony, she took a deep breath before getting on all fours and racing forward, ramming her horns into the rock wall. The impact staggered her a bit, but she backed up and charged again, cracking the rock a bit this time.

She continued this process for a good few minutes before she was snapped back to her thoughts by a sudden voice. "So I got a question," said Jirou, causing Pony to nearly trip in her charge.

"Uh, did you say a question," asked Pony, hoping she heard right over hitting her head against the rock wall.

"Yeah a question," replied Jirou as she continued hitting the rock wall with her earphone jacks, "how many people do you know from our class?"

"I don't know anything about glass," replied Pony as she charged the wall again.

"No I said class," said Jirou, channeling some of her aggravation into her attacks, "who do you know in our class?"

"Well," said Pony as she charged the wall, "I know your name is Jirou and the, uh, ink girl is Mina."

"Sorry, did you just call me 'ink' girl," questioned Mina, subconsciously producing more acid.

"I forget the word Clay taught me for your skin color," replied Pony, "I just remember that it was either 'ink' or 'pink.'"

"What do you mean Clay taught you?" Questioned Jirou, raising an inquisitive eyebrow as she continued to jab into her section of the wall with her jacks.

"The only person I actually know from your class is Clay Cero," explained Pony before charging the wall again, "My Japanese isn't so good. So he's been helping me learn."

"Wait," said Mina, "Clay's been tutoring you, in private, without telling anyone. You two haven't been shacking up have you?"

"MINA!" exclaimed Jirou, her earphone jacks actually managing to crack the rock wall a little in her surprise.

"I mean we 'back up' whenever we see some of the crazy students in the hallways," replied Pony, misunderstanding Mina's implication, "But otherwise we walk forward when we're talking in the hallways. That's where Clay teaches me and translates anything I need to know."

"You ever 'back up' towards him," questioned Mina with a devious smile.

"Will you cut it out Mina!" exclaimed Jirou, "I was just asking how she knew Clay."

"Oh like you don't want to know if they've been up to anything," replied Mina with a smirk.

"Says the girl who drug him off at the mall," Jirou shot back, "What was that even about anyway?"

"I just needed to borrow him for a bit," replied Mina, "Get his opinion on some clothing, though I was curious about what you and him had been up to over the internship. Before that you and Clay only spoke every so often, now you're chatting all the time. Get up to your own extracurricular activities while we were out of school?"

"Momo and I just checked up on them after that incident with the Nomus and the hero killer. Maybe you forgot but they were involved in that," said Jirou.

"Well if that's all then it shouldn't be any big deal if he goes off with another girl," said Mina, "I just might make a move on him during one of those fun camp games we've all been promised."

"As if," remarked Jirou, "I'll bet you only give Clay the time of day because he saved your hide in the entrance exam!"

"Gosh that was forever ago," replied Mina, "He might not be the most outspoken or handsome guy in our class, but anyone with the stones to repeatedly make fun of Bakugou and not flinch has got something going for him. Plus, we both know he's really a nice guy so I think I've got plenty of legitimate reasons to like him unless you're saying I'm too good for him."

"Oh you'd like to think that wouldn't you," said Jirou, "You'd probably have more luck with Kaminari if you want my opinion since you both seem to operate on the same wavelength."

"And just what is that supposed to mean?!" Questioned Mina as she and Jirou glared at each other while intensifying their attacks against the stone wall.

"Um, did you still want to know how I met Clay," questioned Pony, noticing that the conversation had shifted a bit.

"LATER!" Exclaimed the two girls at the same time before going back to glaring at each other while assaulting the rock wall.

"Okay," said Pony meekly as she went back to charging her section of the wall while wondering what that was all about.

Over at another section of the training camp, Momo and Sato were stuffing their faces while using their respective quirks. Sato was busy lifting weights while Momo was generating random objects, mostly Russian nesting dolls. Next to them, Kendo just happened to take up a spot using her big fist quirk to bust up or crush rocks. "So, how ya been Momo," questioned Kendo as she strained to crush another large rock in her expanded hands, "We haven't really talked since the internship."

"Well *munch* things have been *munch* somewhat hectic*munch*," replied Momo between mouthfuls of food.

"No kidding," said Kendo, "I had to keep some of my classmates on task so they could pass the finals. I heard you guys had to take on the teachers in your practical exams, what was that like?"

"Really scary *munch*," replied Momo, "Slade and I *munch* had to take on *munch* Aizawa sensei."

"Oh, you were with Slade," said Kendo, "Guess you were in good hands, though he seems like he'd be a bit intense given what I've seen."

"He just *munch* looks intimidating," replied Momo, "I mean *munch* he is but *munch* he's actually *munch* really relaxed *munch* outside of combat."

"So he's what, a teddy bear when he's not fighting?" Questioned Kendo as she finally managed to crush the rock she'd been gripping before moving onto the next.

"He's *munch* very gentlemanly *munch*," replied Momo, "he *munch* gave me the courage *munch* to be confident *munch* in myself again. *munch* and not just as *munch* a hero but *munch* as a woman too."

"An intense but kind gentleman," said Kendo as she increased her grip on the rock she was holding, "Is he smart?"

"He does *munch* physics calculations *munch* in his head," answered Momo, "He and I *munch* have the top scores *munch* in math based sciences *munch* in the whole class."

"I'm starting to see how you managed to pass your exam," said Kendo, "A smart guy who knows how to work with his teammate and support them at their lowest point." It was at that moment that a curious thought entered the 1B student's mind. "You don't think he has a girlfriend do you."

Instead of receiving an intelligent response, Kendo's question was answered with the sound of a surprised Momo choking on a large portion of the food that she'd been supplied with. "Oh crap, hold on," said Kendo as she reduced the size of her hands and chopped Momo on the back, causing her to hack up the food stuck in her throat. "You okay there Momo?"

"Yeah, just ate a little too much at once," replied Momo, not really wanting to reveal the true reason she'd choked.

"Well I guess that's the risk of this particular intensive training," commented Kendo as she enlarged her hands again and went back to crushing rocks with them. 'Or the risk of saying things like that when someone has their mouth full,' thought Momo as she got back to her own training.

That Evening

"Now I hope you all remember what we told you yesterday!" Shouted Pixie Bob, "That was the only day we were gonna feed you."

"So starting tonight you gotta prepare your own food if you want to eat," declared Rag Doll. She was the fourth member of the Wild Wild Pussycats with green hair and a yellow version of the team uniform. Her quirk was known as 'search' and it allowed her to look at someone and know just about everything about them. She was a bit more, odd in comparison to the other members of her team. "Now tonight's dish you'll be making is curry!"

"Yes mam," Class 1A and 1B groaned collectively as they all felt about like collapsing right there.

"Oh man you all look so exhausted!" Exclaimed Rag Doll as she jumped around excitedly, "But don't think that means you'll get a pass on making lousy cat food!"

"I'm so far beyond caring that I'd eat actual cat food at this point," commented Clay under his breath, just as exhausted from training as everyone else.

"But maybe that's just it," said Iida as he perked up suddenly, "During disasters it'd be important to provide for both the physical and spiritual needs of those recovering from the catastrophe." Iida then proceeded to turn around and address all the assembled students. "Everyone, we've been given a great opportunity here so let's make the most delicious curry ever!"

"Okay," replied the other students, still as unenthusiastic as before.

"I'll probably eat all of my ingredients before they even make it to the pot," commented Slade.

It took a bit of doing, but both classes managed to get the ingredients assembled in the pots provided. When it came to lighting a fire, most people asked for Todoroki to use his left side, except for Momo who produced a grill lighter with her quirk. Bakugou, feeling that the task was beneath him, accidentally blasted the oven apart using an explosion that was a little too large. As for Clay and Slade, they managed to start one using the flints provided to them, and a couple of tricks with friction that Slade knew could generate sparks.

By nightfall, they managed to create a meal that resembled curry. "This sure ain't restaurant food," commented Kirishima between mouthfuls of food, "But I'll eat every bite considering how today's gone."

"What do you think of it Momo," asked Mina, "You're scarfing up as much as the guys here."

"The food's passable," said Momo, "But it's also fuel for my quirk. You see my body transforms my lipids into new atoms for forming inorganic materials. In essence, the more I eat the more objects I can generate."

"So your quirk works the same way as pooping then?" Questioned Sero. The comment immediately sent Momo into a depressed state and awakened the rage of both Jirou and Slade.

"Apologize!" declared Jirou as she knocked the tape user upside the head.

"Her quirk is like the living embodiment of the conservation of matter," said Slade as he twisted his classmate's arm, "Show some respect!"

"Alright, alright that was my bad, I'm sorry," groaned Sero as he desperately tapped Slade's arm to make him let go. Clay simply shook his head as he downed some more water from his own gallon jug.

"So I've got a bit of a question Clay," said Mina, "How'd your Uncle introduce you to the Wild Wild Pussycats?"

"About a year after my mother convinced my dad to move down here from America, Dad wanted to go camping. Mom, having known about this spot decided to give my Uncle a call and miraculously managed to convince him to let us come down and check out where they trained. It's also the first time I learned just how truly bad my Uncle's habit of carrying a sleeping bag around was."

"Were they this energetic back then as well," questioned Jirou as she sat down on the other side of Clay.

"If they have changed any, I haven't noticed," replied Clay, "Unless you count Pixie Bob growing more desperate for a man. Anyway it became a kind of tradition I guess, whenever we really felt like going on a more than ordinary camping trip we'd call up Uncle and he'd call up the Pussycats and see if they had an opening in their schedule. Then we'd all come down here and do the assorted camp activities like hiking, fishing, mountain climbing, campfire stories, that sort of thing. Our visits were few and far between, especially after Slade and I got sent to America."

"Did Pixie Bob do that marking thing to you as well," questioned Iida.

"After I started training with Uncle, some of the camp activities I did began involving obstacle courses and mountain survival. Since Dad likes camping and Mom wanted me to learn how to defend myself, they were more than fine with it. One day while training I managed to fly around every obstacle Pixie Bob popped up from the ground for nearly ten minutes straight. She was so impressed she gave me the full cat marking treatment. After that, Mom thought it best that I spend a little more time on climbing with tiger."

"I guess that's better," said Ojiro, not sounding quite sure himself if it was or not.

"I mean if you like climbing up a rock face with a burly transgender guy yelling at you then sure," replied Clay, "I didn't even know what transgender was until I met the Pussycats, so thanks Uncle and thanks Mom and Dad for that little bit of mental scarring."

"It makes me glad I didn't meet you until after that," said Slade, "Though your Uncle never let anyone besides family or other pros accompany you guys anyway. Said it was a security risk."

"And now here we all are, a whole class of security risks training at a secret campground," said Clay, "Makes me wonder what the rest of training is gonna be like."

Later That Night: Outside the Training Camp

The night was filled with the sound of woodland creatures chattering away as a group of five figures stood on top of a cliff overlooking the area of their targets. "I really don't like this gear," said Toga as she adjusted the mask that covered her nose and mouth. It looked like a rebreather mask with several small hoses on the front. "The least they could've done was gotten me something cute to wear."

"This was a rush order put together by the villain black market," commented another villain wearing a green helmet, red-eyed gasmask and a long black, button-up coat. "Your main concern should be whether or not they work."

"Oh they'll work," said Ballistic M as he stepped forward in his full purple and silver jetpack costume, examining the new gauntlets he'd received. "I've received most of my previous equipment from them and I've had more compliments than complaints for the gear."

"Well I wasn't asking for much with mine," commented Toga as she waved her arms animatedly, "Just something that actually looks a bit stylish." The apparent group leader was about to reply to this when he was interrupted by the arrival of three other figures. One was a tall man with long, brown hair wearing a pink button up shirt and carrying a large, rectangular weapon. The next one was a lizard man with purple hair dressed in an outfit that was meant to resemble Stain.

The final one was a man whose body was covered from head to toe in an outfit that resembled a body bag/straight jacket with several straps holding his mouth open. Needless to say it did little for his speech. "That makes eight of us," said a man in dark pants and a blue coat with long coat tails. But his most distinguishing feature was the burned and stapled skin on his mouth and arms. "We're just about ready."

"I still don't see why we can't just take them now?!" exclaimed another villain in a black cloak and a white mask with multiple holes on the face, "Just turn me loose and I'll tear them all apart! I'm too hyped up to just sit around and wait!"

"But you'll do exactly that," said Dabi, "We're still expecting three members. We'll move when we're prepared and not before. If we're really gonna strike terror into the hearts of those little heroes down there, it'll be by avoiding the league of villains past mistakes. When our group strikes, it'll be well coordinated and precise. We'll take away their sense of peace and show them how fragile their little lives really are."

Training Camp: The Third Day

The morning came much too soon in the opinion of several students. In the case of the remedial group consisting of Mina, Sero, Kirishima, Kaminari and Sato, they'd gotten the least amount of sleep out of everyone due to their extra lessons ending at 2 am. Given that training started at 7 am. That left them only about five hours of sleep. This fact didn't keep Aizawa from coming down on them like a drill sergeant as he patrolled the training area, constantly reminding them to stay focused and to keep up the pace.

"Each one of you can move faster, get stronger, or do better," said Aizawa as he moved around the field where the students were training, "Remember where you came from and why you're here. Think about how you got this far and what your goals are because that is why you sweat now." 'As if I could ever forget how this started,' thought Clay as he increased the density of the cloud mass above his head while continually causing friction on the inside to generate lightning. Then, taking a deep breath, Clay sent out several extensions of varying shapes from the cloud above his head to assault the cliff wall in front of him.

The result was a bit better than yesterday as the imprints in the Cliffside grew even larger. 'As for my goals, they become clearer every day.' Clay continued to barrage the cliff, shifting the shapes of his clouds as he did so before chugging another bottle of water in an attempt to produce even more clouds. As he continued to train, he received a broadcast in his mind through Mandalay's quirk, telepath. "Before you think this camp will be all work and no play, here's something to look forward too. Tonight we'll be having a test of courage between the two classes."

'And that's exactly what I need to relax after a long, hard day of training,' thought Clay sarcastically, 'A good jump scare to calm the heart rate.' Knowing their home room teacher, they'd probably find a way to equate this to hero training too. But maybe there was the slightest possibility it might turn out to be fun. Well, as fun as training in the dark could be anyway.

After the announcement, the day wore on much like the day before, painfully, though Jirou and Mina decided to call a truce on yesterday's argument given how exhausted they both were, agreeing to hold off until later that evening. As before, once the training was over they had to make their own dinner. Clay, Slade and Midoriya got the job of collecting firewood this time around so while everyone else prepared the ingredients, the three of them were placing the wood in the grills. "So what'd they have to say about All Might showing up," questioned Slade as he handed Midoriya some of the gathered firewood.

"They said he wouldn't be coming," replied Midoriya, with a bit of disappointment in his voice, "But I guess it only makes sense, he is the league's main target."

"According to Uncle," said Clay, "Hardly any of the U.A. staff even know where we're at right now, hence why we only have two teachers and the pussycats looking after us."

"Was there a particular reason you were asking about All Might," questioned Todoroki, who managed to overhear their conversation. Why he was interested Clay couldn't really say.

"Well I was hoping he could give me some advice about Kota," said Midoriya, "I tried to talk to him yesterday, but I didn't get anywhere."

"That's why you were wandering off after him last night," asked Clay with a raised eyebrow, "You do remember that same that kid tried punching Slade in the scrotum."

"Hurt him a bit more than it hurt me," added Slade as he set down some firewood in another stack.

"I wanted to help him, but I probably just made things worse," said Midoriya, "Because his parents were heroes that died in the line of duty, he hates heroes, quirks, even the idea of super humans. I was mostly just wondering what All Might would've done to help him. Do you guys have any ideas?"

"I'm not the greatest with kids," said Clay, "It sounds like a lot of what this kid is going through is the need to grow up a bit."

"That seems a little harsh," said Midoriya as he adjusted some of the wood in the grill.

"It's psychology," said Clay, "Right now he's still at the age where he believes the world revolves around him. He's only thinking about himself and not the numerous other people who could've been hurt or killed if his parents hadn't given their lives. So he's looking for something to blame and he decided quirks are the reason that his parents are gone and the world sucks. It's fairly closed minded given the numerous ways I've seen my Uncle take down people with his bare hands."

"Yeah but telling him to grow up might not be the best idea," said Midoriya as he rubbed his head.

"Truthfully," said Todoroki, "Any conversation with a stranger trying to change your views would be irritating. I believe what matters most are actions, showing a person what you're trying to prove. Words are powerful, yes, but there are some things that can only be expressed through actions." Midoriya seemed to ponder Todoroki's words for a moment.

"I guess you're right," said Midoriya, "I am just a stranger to him so why would he even listen to what I had to say."

"While I do have you to thank for allowing me to accept my left side," said Todoroki, "You should know that poking around delicate matters thoughtlessly can be pretty annoying."

"Yeah right," said Midoriya, letting his head sink a bit lower.

"Don't worry too much about it," said Slade as he clapped Midoriya on the shoulder, "learning how to fix problems is why we're here, that and the ## whooping they call training. We're not gonna learn how to solve them all in a single day."

"I guess I just don't like looking away from someone who needs help," said Midoriya.

"And that's not a bad quality," said Clay, "Just remember not to rush into things without thinking." Midoriya nodded at this, understanding his friend's meaning. The moment was then ruined by Iida yelling at them to get a move on in getting dinner ready.

Forest Trail: Later That Night

"Alright, now that we have full stomachs and washed dishes the test of courage can finally begin!" Exclaimed Pixie Bob in her usual cheery tone. "So listen up everyone because these are the rules: Class 1B will start as the scarers, meaning Class 1A will be leaving in pairs every three minutes down the trail. Your goal is to grab the tags at the end of the trail and bring them back around the other side of the trail, meanwhile Class 1B will use their quirks to attempt to terrify each pair that goes through. But, you need to remember that no physical contact is allowed."

"The winners of this test will be those who make the most people piss their pants!" declared Tiger in his usual intense manner.

"Did he really have to give us that visual," questioned Jirou, to which Tokoyami simply responded by saying 'revelry in the dark.'

"That's rather ingenious," said Iida, "Encouraging us to use our imaginations to find different ways to use our quirks, exactly as expected of U.A.!"

"It sounds a lot more boring when you actually explain it," said Clay.

"Okay, everyone grab a number and see who you're paired up with," said Pixie Bob as she held up a number of paper tags in her pawed glove.

"Alright, this is gonna be awesome!" exclaimed Mina, the most excited she'd been since camp started.

"Actually the remedial class will be having extra lessons with me tonight, as much as it pains me to say it," said Aizawa.

"You can't be serious!" exclaimed Mina as Jirou took a tag and noticed that she was paired up with Clay.

"Well that's just too bad," said Jirou, "I guess I'll have to have enough fun for the both of us."

"Oh you win this round but camp's not over yet!" declared Mina as Aizawa used his scarf to wrap up Kirishima, Sato, Kaminari, Sero and Mina before dragging them all away.

"I get why Mina's a bit upset," said Clay as he scratched his chin, "But what was that last part about?"

"Oh nothing to worry about at the moment," said Jirou, "Her and I have just gotten a little competitive lately."

"Well don't let it get out of hand," said Clay, "It's always a shame to see friends fight."

"At least you get to be with a friend," said Midoriya as he held up his tag, "I just did a count. There were twenty two of us but with five gone that leaves seventeen, meaning one of us gets the unlucky draw and has to be by themselves."

"I'm guessing the unlucky draw was you in this instance," said Slade, who'd wound up partnered with Momo.

"Hey it's not what ya think Midoriya," said Ojiro apologetically, "We drew lots at random, the fact that you wound up by yourself is a coincidence." Anything else Ojiro wanted to say was stopped as Bakugou set a hand on his shoulder with an angry scowl on his face.

"You're trading tags with me right now," commanded Bakugou as he cocked a thumb back towards Todoroki, "I'm not going on this thing with icey hot over there!"

"Why don't you trade with Midoriya instead," said Slade as he put his foot down on Mineta's head, ignoring the grape boy's demands to trade with him. "You like going solo anyway, right?"

"Meow meow meow," laughed Pixie Bob in the cat-like way she enjoyed doing, "Sorry kittens, but you gotta stick with the litter mate you drew, meaning no trading tags." This of course resulted in a few groans from those who were unhappy with their partners. "Now then, let's get this game started!" Everyone lined up as the first group departed.

"I wonder what 1B's got in store for us," Jirou thought aloud as they were given the signal after nine minutes. They were the third group to depart and Slade and Momo would be departing right after them.

"I just hope they stay out of arm's reach," said Clay as they began walking down the trail.

"Why, you scare easy Cero," questioned Jirou with an amused expression on her face.

"It's not so much that I scare easy," said Clay, "It's just that when I do scare I-."

"Blaaaaa-AAAAAAAACK!" One of the 1B students leapt out in an attempt to scare them with large hands, only to be immediately socked in the face by a startled Clay.

"Tend to react on years of hand to hand training drilled into me by you know who," Clay finished as they examined who he hit. "Hey Monoma, did you copy Kendo's quirk?"

"You'll pay for that one class 1A," said Monoma weakly on the ground, "Next time I won't be in arms reach."

"Well maybe you'll have better luck with the next group," said Jirou as she and Clay continued down the path. They didn't say anything for a couple minutes as they were both keeping watch for the other members of class 1B.

"So," said Jirou after a bit, "I got a bit of a hypothetical question for ya."

"Shoot," replied Clay without turning his head, "Just try to keep your guard up, 1B is still out there."

"Right, well hypothetically speaking," began Jirou, "say you wanted to date one of the girls from 1A, who would it be?"

"Sorry, but I feel like that's a bit of a loaded question," Clay pointed out, "Given that you're among the girls of 1A. For all I know you're trying to get me to admit to something for gossip or you're asking for someone else who's too shy to do it face to face."

"Wow, are those really the only two options you see from that question," said Jirou with a frown, "alright then let's widen this a bit and say out of all U.A., which girl would you want to date the mo-OH #$ #!" Jirou was interrupted by a dark-haired girl's head popping up from the ground. The earphone girl quickly grabbed Clay by the arm and ran past the head, despite the cloud user's protests that everything was fine.

They continued to run for a minute before finally slowing down and stopping. The rocker girl put a hand over her heart as she tried to steady her breathing. "Well that was interesting," said Clay as he adjusted his shirt a bit, "Maybe we should've stepped on her head."

"That's what goes through your mind when you see a severed head on the ground," said Jirou, "step on it!"

"No, if it was severed then I would've suggested bunting it like a soccer ball," replied Clay as they began walking again. The look on Jirou's face told him the very idea sent shivers down her spine. "You know I'm just joking right?"

"Honestly I can't tell if you are or not," said Jirou, "Based on what I've seen so far your idea of Halloween apparently involves hitting stuff."

"As I said that's just a knee jerk response," said Clay, "Uncle taught me to react fast to a situation. I don't think he considered the possibility that I might develop the habit of occasionally hitting scary things that pop out of nowhere."

"Just try not to hit every single person that pops up while we're out here," said Jirou, "I don't think the teachers would approve."

"I can only say that I'll try," replied Clay as they came to a turn in the trail.

"Anyway, attempted head kicking aside, you still didn't answer my question from earlier," said Jirou.

"And once again I'm not sure I should," replied Clay, "I'm relatively certain you'd get angry if I mentioned, say, Hagakure or Mina because they're your friends and you'd no doubt be apprehensive about them dating someone. I could mention someone from class 1B but then a lengthy interrogation will follow as to why I'd want to date them."

"And if I promised I would be completely cool about it no matter who you said and agreed to only ask, say, five questions," Jirou asked.

"I could work with that I suppose," said Clay as he put a hand to his chin, "Truth be told I hadn't really thought all that much about it. But if I had to pick I guess I might enjoy going out with-is something burning?" Jirou was starting to get annoyed at Clay's avoidance of the question until she noticed the smell of burning wood as well.

"Oh tell me 1B isn't trying to scare us with a fire next," groaned Jirou until she noticed a strange looking smoke headed towards them. "Hey Clay, do you remember if any of the 1B students produces smoke?"

"None that I can recall," said Clay as he caught the scent of the smoke, or rather gas before coughing a bit. "Jirou, grab onto me now!"

"Why, what's-," Jirou started to question before she breathed a tiny bit of the gas as well, "Oh no."

"Now!" exclaimed Clay. The earphone jack girl grabbed him around the neck as he formed a larger cloud under their feet and shot up into the air. The sight that greeted them was that of the surrounding forest on fire, accompanied by a large gas cloud.

"What's going on," questioned Jirou as they looked around, "why's there poisonous gas and why is everything on fire?!"

"They found us," said Clay, "Some way somehow the league managed to track us down." Another sound greeted their ears then as Clay turned to see four missiles headed right for them.

"That's right heroes in training," said Ballistic M as the missiles impacted against his target, "The league of Villains has arrived!"

 **Despite the efforts of the teachers, U.A.'s training camp has been discovered and the villains have begun preemptive strikes to take down their targets. Will the two classes even survive the initial assault? We'll just have to wait and see. In the meantime, I hope you all enjoyed this most recent chapter and as always, feel free to leave a comment or review of what you liked/disliked or if you have any neat ideas to help make the story better. Also, let me know if you think I'm writing any of the characters, well, out of character. Be sure to stop in next time as classes 1A and 1B face a real test of skill against the league's Vanguard Action Squad. 'Til then.**


	44. No Escape, Villains on All Sides

**No Escape, Villains on All Sides**

Forest Training Camp

"Enjoy being blown to bits!" exclaimed Ballistic M as he fired another volley of missiles at the area where Clay had been. The sight of a few more explosions told him he'd hit his mark as a cloud of smoke hung in the air. "I gotta say that was actually a little disappointing," said Ballistic M as he hovered in the air thanks to his jet pack, turning his attention towards the camp, "So I guess I'll have to entertain myself by-WOOOO!" The missile villain didn't get to finish his thought as six cloud spears came flying out of the smoke in his general direction.

Ballistic M rolled to the side, managing to dodge the two closest ones by mere feet as two figures flew out of the smoke cloud. "So you survived after all," said Ballistic as he changed direction and flew towards his target, "maybe this'll turn out to be fun after all." Some movement in the corner of his eye alerted him to another attack as the spears came flying back towards him. "Nice try, but that's what interceptor missiles are for!" The villain spun around and fired more missiles from his gauntlets, each one impacting against a cloud spear and exploding.

"So much for a quick counterattack," said Clay as he began flying a bit higher into the air, noting that their attacker was already following behind them, "We're gonna need something a bit more creative. Hey Jirou, you okay back there?"

"If you don't count the ringing in my ears and the feeling of my head splitting open," groaned Jirou, who was miraculously managing to keep her grip on her airborne classmate.

"Well you're gonna need this for a bit," said Clay as he pulled out his hero mask and goggles from his back pockets. He gave Jirou the mask while putting the goggles on.

"Why do you even have this here," said Jirou, "And why am I wearing it?"

"It's supposed to help me breath at high altitudes as well as provide a bit of filtering against airborne toxins," explained Clay, "But I'm not planning on going too high and you don't need to see for me to fly. As for why I brought it, well-," Clay turned the cloud around while still heading higher and fired off a few more spike-shaped clouds to intercept the latest volley of missiles, causing several explosions to light up the night, "That should be pretty self-explanatory." Clay then made a sharp turn, then another and another in an attempt to outmaneuver their pursuer, but he'd clearly had plenty of practice with his jetpack as he slowed down and twisted and turned in the air to keep them in his sights.

"If that's a villain, then shouldn't we head towards the camp," said Jirou as Clay twisted around to dodge more missiles, "The teachers should be able to deal with a guy like this." As if on cue, a telepathic message from Mandalay hit the two of them, telling them to return to camp and not to engage any villains they come across.

"If he was the only guy, that'd be true," said Clay as he formed another cloud to float over their heads, "But you heard him, this is the league of villains, meaning there's definitely more than one. So if we try to fly back to camp, we might make the situation worse, especially if he decides to go crazy and carpet bomb the whole area." Ballistic M tried coming up on their right side then, but Clay was one step ahead of him as the cloud over their heads morphed and shot out several hands, forcing the villain back in order to avoid being caught.

"So we're on our own is basically what you're saying," Jirou summed up.

"Pretty much," replied Clay, "But I may have a way we can lose him." Clay sent out a cloud shaped like a giant shuriken to cut through another group of missiles that had somehow gotten in front of them.

"And just how are we gonna do that when he can somehow see us clear as day," questioned Jirou.

"You ever been on a plane when it goes through a low hanging cloud," questioned Clay as they climbed even higher into the air, "Well think of that without the pressurized cabin."

On the Forest Trail

Slade had to admit, when two members of class 1B came running out of the woods carrying their classmate with the viney-hair, he'd assumed it was part of the test of courage. Until the poisonous gas came out of the forest right behind them. Fortunately, Momo was quick to produce a fair number of gas masks which she handed off to Slade and the members of class 1B before donning one herself. It was shortly after that when they received Mandalay's message about heading back to the camp and to avoid confrontation with any villains they encountered.

"They make it sound like it'll be that simple," said Slade as he handed the vine-haired girl to Tetsutetsu, "We don't actually know how many villains there are, and they can't seriously expect us to just leave the rest of our class behind."

"It's likely they don't know about the poison gas," said Momo as she turned to the other member of class 1B with them, a guy with dark hair and a blue and white-striped headband, "Awase was it? You know where the rest of your class is situated right?"

"I mean assuming they haven't run off I do," replied the 1B student, "But what are you guys planning to do?"

"All of class 1B plus members of our class are in this poison gas," explained Momo, "If we don't get them any protection against it, several of them might not make it back alive."

"So we need to find them and get them these masks pronto," said Slade before turning to Tetsutetsu, "You take Ibara there and head to the camp, and pass out the masks we've given you to any members of 1A or 1B if you run into them."

"I don't like the idea of just running off," said Tetsutetsu, "But I'll do what I can." With a final nod, the steel quirk user took Ibara and rushed back towards the camp. Slade, Momo, and Awase then departed back down the trail.

"Do you really think we can't avoid conflict with the villains," questioned Momo as they ran. As if in answer to her question, a number of explosions lit up the night sky. A few more followed shortly after, but further away.

"I'd say we're already in conflict," replied Slade, "So if a villain does show up, we'd best be ready for a fight."

The Sky above the Camp

' $ %, this is freakin' cold,' thought Jirou as she and Clay entered into the lowest hanging cloud they could find, 'I just hope we don't wind up running into one of those mountains.' "Come out come out wherever you are!" Yelled Ballistic M as more missiles flew past them, most of which were off target.

"Well that settles it," said Clay as he slowed his speed and began circling around in the cloud, "He can't clearly see us while we're in here."

"That's great and all," said Jirou, "But how are we planning on fighting him if we just hide out in here?"

"Ordinarily, I'd take him on in a straight up fight," said Clay, "But my speed's limited right now since I'm trying not to throw you off on accident. Add to that, you and I both took some damage from his first couple of volleys because I couldn't get a strong defense up in time." Jirou knew he wasn't wrong, the cloud boy had a few burns on his upper body and a couple of cuts from shrapnel. The earphone jack girl also wasn't in the best of shape either, with a mild burn on her back, a few cuts of her own and the most gosh awful pain from a bloody spot on her head, but still something irked at her a little.

"I hope you're not saying this whole approach is because I'm dead weight," remarked Jirou.

"I didn't say that," said Clay as he found a good spot to hover, "I was just wondering if you've ever used your quirk to locate something in the air?"

'These kids are a little tricky, I will give them that,' thought Ballistic M as he emerged to hover over the cloud he'd chased them into, 'But they can't hide forever, especially with a constant barrage of missiles in all directions. The villain produced even more missiles from his arms that he fed into his gauntlets and aimed them all in random directions. 'I'd best set these to explode before they hit the ground, even if it would be hilariously ironic for that explosion kid to die in, well, an explosion.' As he was about to fire, a spinning cloud blade emerged on his right side, forcing the villain to move back. "Nice try kiddies!" Exclaimed the villain as he fired three missiles in the direction of the attack.

He smiled at the resulting explosion, only for it to turn into an annoyed sneer as a cloud net shot up from the opposite direction, forcing him to blast it apart before firing more missiles in the direction it came. 'My infrared setting on these goggles isn't powerful enough to see through this thick cloud,' he thought, 'I wonder if they figured that out? Or maybe they're just trying to get lucky by firing off in a random direction.' A large cloud hand shot out then, nearly swatting Ballistic M from the sky before he returned fire in yet another direction. 'That's too close to be just plain dumb luck, they got a rough idea of where I'm at, but how?'

"He's moved again, a few meters higher and a bit to the left," said Jirou as she held her earphone jacks in the air.

"Got it," replied Clay as he maneuvered one of the clouds he'd sent out and had it fire a few spikes which quickly retracted before firing again.

"So I do gotta ask," Said Jirou, "How did you know I'd be able to detect him by the sound of his jetpack with my quirk?"

"You may've heard," said Clay as he pulled the cloud back to avoid another volley of small missiles, "Midoriya has notes on everyone in class in those hero notebooks of his including different ways our quirks can be used. With a lot of input by Slade about the physics of sound waves, he theorized you could use them in midair to detect vibrations like a radar, though it's a lot more limited since you can't send out a sound of your own without equipment to create an echo or rebound effect."

"And here I thought physics wasn't your forte, a bit to the right a few degrees for the next attack," said Jirou.

"It's the math aspect of science classes that get me," said Clay as he changed his clouds into a pair of spinning blades and had them attack from opposite directions, "I actually enjoy a number of the theories discussed in class, especially aerodynamics, given that I'm the most capable of flying in the class."

"Well let's hope you can your clouds can outfly this guy," said Jirou, "He just moved towards us a few meters."

"Got it," said Clay as he caused a number of claws to erupt from the biggest cloud he had circling around.

"You blasted pests!" exclaimed Ballistic M as he fired a couple volleys of missiles at the numerous claws and hooks that had erupted right underneath him. "I don't know how you keep evading me or how you can see to attack me, but let's see if you can dodge this!" The missile villain climbed even higher in the sky as he crossed his arms and produced the largest number of missiles yet. "Hades Scatter Bomb!" The villain began to rotate rapidly as he extended his arms and fired off cluster after cluster of his missiles at varying distances, all of which curved downward into the cloud below, "You brought this on yourselves you little $ #s!" The villain then proceeded to snap his fingers, causing every last one of the missiles to explode, turning the cloud into a blinding light as a series of blasts rocked the trees below.

Forest Floor

"What in the world was that?!" exclaimed Awase as they all looked up at the mass number of explosions that had suddenly lit up the night. They'd been able to ignore the numerous detonations that had been going off high above their heads up to that point. In fact, things had been going surprisingly well as they managed to find Hagakure and Aoyama before sending them back to camp with gas masks to keep them protected against the poison in the air. But there was no ignoring the display they'd just seen.

"This might be hard to believe," said Slade, "But I don't think it was Bakugou."

"The blast was even larger than his howitzer maneuver he used at the sports festival," said Momo, "And I'm pretty sure we'd still be hearing at least a few explosions if he was actually up that high in the air. Despite the ferocity of his quirk, he's a close to midrange fighter and while he can go airborne, high flying isn't his preferred fighting style."

"So what, you're saying one of the villains might be flying around up there trying to bomb us?" questioned Awase, his nervousness clear in his voice.

"At the very least a fight is definitely happening up there," said Slade as they continued to run through the forest. Suddenly, the sound of Mandalay's voice resonated in their heads again.

"A message to all students," said Mandalay through her telepath quirk, "You now have permission to act in self-defense if you cannot avoid the villains. Also, Kacchan is one of the targets of the villains, this student should avoid combat at all costs and return to camp with everyone else."

"That answers our question on why the villain in the sky wasn't just firebombing this whole place," said Momo, "They must be looking to capture Bakugou alive."

"How do ya figure that?" Questioned Awase as they arrived at the spot where Rag Doll was supposed to be set up.

"They've used fire, poison gas and missiles so far," Said Slade, "There's little reason they couldn't turn this entire mountain into a death zone with just those quirks alone. But judging by Mandalay's telepath messages so far, the gas hasn't spread to the camp itself. Not to mention, they could've boxed us in at camp with the fire and then just bombed us into oblivion, but they haven't, meaning they have to be careful for one reason or another. My guess is they're only here to get Bakugou and maybe a couple of other students, and the rest of us are just in the way."

"Whatever the case we need to find the rest of our classmates and class 1B soon," said Momo when a bit of movement caught her attention. "AWASE BEHIND YOU!" Her warning just barely came in time as Awase managed to dodge out of the way of a frightening arm with what appeared to be giant scissor blades attached to them. But he wasn't quick enough to avoid getting knocked into a nearby tree by the same arm. The impact clearly rattled the 1B student as he looked like he was fighting to stay awake from the pain.

Before the creature could finish the job, Slade jumped in front of Awase and upped his density, causing the blades to break against his skin. "No doubt about it now," said Slade under his breath when he saw what they were up against. It was a green skinned monster with blue pants, some kind of strange purple head gear which hid its eyes and a bit in its mouth. But the most telling thing about the creature, was its exposed brain, leaving no question in Slade's mind. "This thing is a Nomu, and that means this is definitely the League of Villains we're up against!"

In the Sky

'Are we dead,' thought Jirou as she slowly opened her eyes, her ears still ringing from the noise of the blast. She chanced breathing, remembering that Clay's mask was on her face. It allowed her to breathe more easily, but it could do little about the smell of gunpowder and burnt flesh. Wait, burnt flesh? The earphone jack girl realized then that a pair of arms were encircling her and as she turned around to look, she saw Clay, breathing heavily with several holes in the back of his shirt, some of which were still smoking.

"You *cough* doing alright there *cough* Jirou," Clay managed to say between ragged breaths.

"Am I doing alright," said Jirou, "How are we even alive right now, and look at you, it's amazing you're even conscious."

"I threw up a protective mass of my clouds at the highest density I could," said Clay as he let go of Jirou and turned around on the cloud, "I could've done better with a slight bit more time, but I'm still glad your warning came when it did. A few seconds later and well, let's not think about it too hard."

"We should be thinking about falling back for now," said Jirou, "Neither of us is in particularly good shape and that explosion's blasted away a good portion of our cloud cover. But if we're lucky, he thinks we're both dead and we can slip away in all of this smoke he's created while we've still got the cover. I don't know if you got Mandalay's message, but they're looking for Bakugou and he's probably back at the camp by now."

"I got the message alright," replied Clay as he tried to catch his breath, "But truthfully, how far do you think we'll get if we flee now? I've used up a good bit of the clouds I can produce against his missiles, meaning if he spots us on our way back I'll have to rely more on outmaneuvering him then straight up combat. Plus, if Bakugou's not back at the camp and they manage to snatch him, what's to stop this guy from using that same bombing attack against the rest of the camp? Since this is the league of villains, they'll have that warp guy Kurogiri to pull out their comrades."

"I know you don't like the idea of running off at this point but what else can we really do? Jirou questioned, "You're the only one out of the two of us who can actually fight up here and the one advantage I was able to give us is pretty much gone without cloud cover."

"I might have an idea for that actually," said Clay, "Ya see, you need to give yourself more credit, because you're wrong on one point, you can fight up here."

"Where are you two," said Ballistic M as he lowered himself into the massive, but quickly dispersing cloud of smoke. 'I still can't believe I let a couple of kids rile me up to the point of using my special attack. After firing off that many missiles at once, it'll be a bit before I can use another barrage like that.' To be honest, he was fairly certain they were both dead, but he was a professional and professionals made sure they got the job done.

"Hey, Ballistic prick!" yelled Clay as he emerged from the cloud of smoke, coming to hover on the same level as the villain, "Was that really the best you could do?" Most of his body was now covered in a thick layer clouds, Ballistic figured it was to keep his little passenger safe.

"Well, well," said missile villain, simultaneously irritated and impressed at the same time. "I thought Shigaraki was blowing hot air when he gave us a priority kill list with first year students on it. But I guess you kids do have an annoying knack for surviving. At the very least, I'll get to see you blown into tiny bits this way."

"If you think your lousy aim can hit me, then bring it on!" declared Clay as he shot forward at full speed. The villain began firing one missile after another at his approaching target, and was continually frustrated as the cloud user managed to maneuver around them by the slimmest of margins each time. 'At the speed he's going, I can't time my missile's explosions quickly enough, and at this distance I can't guide them around in time either. I'm just gonna have to bite the bullet and fire one last cluster when he gets close enough.'

The villain produced a full round of missiles in his gauntlets as he waited for the right moment to fire. 'See ya later, cloud boy, it's been fun.' It was then that two massive, stinging pains slammed into his back, stopping him from firing as he just managed to glance behind him. "What do ya think of this ya Rocket Man wannabe?!" yelled Jirou from the cloud she was floating on as she jabbed her earphone jacks even harder into Ballistic M's back.

The villain yelled in pain and surprise as Clay used his remaining clouds to wrap up the villain. "We're not just a couple of kids," said Clay, "We're the hero course's class 1A, grasping thunder!" A bolt of electricity erupted from the cloud as he moved Jirou away while Ballistic M writhed in pain and agony before passing out. The shock also shorted out his jetpack, leaving the clouds the only thing keeping him in the air, with his ragged breathing the only noise coming out of his mouth now.

"Jeez, this guy was a $$ %," said Jirou, "Sure felt good to give him the jack treatment."

"No doubt," said Clay as he slowly lowered the villain with his clouds, "We'd best get back to camp now. Uncle should know what to do with this missile dick."

"Sounds good to m-," Jirou started to say before her eyes suddenly fell closed, and she fell off the cloud. Clay reacted on instinct, yelling for her to wake up as he desperately reached for his falling friend.

 **The villain Ballistic M has been dealt with, but the victory was only by a slim margin, and there are still more villains out there. But even knowing the League of Villain's objective may not help now given that our heroes will have their hands full just surviving. In other news, I hope everyone's enjoying their start to the weekend and this latest chapter which I managed to get out earlier than expected. As always, feel free to leave a comment or review about what you liked/disliked or any neat ideas you might have to help make future chapters more interesting. Be sure to stop in next time as Slade and Momo struggle against Swiss Army Nomu! 'Til next time.**


	45. The Camp Disaster's Aftermath

**The Camp Disaster's Aftermath**

Training Camp Forest Trail

The sound of screeching metal impacting against a hard surface broke the otherwise relative silence of the forest. "You'll have to do better than that," said Slade as he upped his density and caught the middle section of a chainsaw the Nomu had produced from yet another arm. The spinning blade still impacted against his shoulder a bit, tearing up what little remained of his shirt, but doing little else against his skin.

"Slade, close your eyes," said Momo as she produced and tossed a flash grenade at the monster. The student did as instructed as he caught the barest glimpse of the grenade going off. The Nomu growled in frustration as it retreated a bit while rubbing its eyes. Slade took his chance and lowered his density to jump upwards and seize the monster's neck. Then, just as quickly, he increased his density and used his momentum to swing around. The added weight of his body pulled the Nomu off of its feet and slammed it back first on the ground as Slade dropped down with a heavy elbow into where the monster's solar plexus should've been.

"Alright, you'd best get the heavy caliber stuff ready," said Slade as he leapt back to rejoin Momo.

"It'll take me a few seconds," said Momo as she lifted up her shirt, "Best keep an eye on that thing." No sooner had she said this, than the monster began stirring and stood up. Slade couldn't tell, but he was fairly certain the Nomu wasn't particularly happy as it produced an additional two arms from its back, giving it a total of four dangerous tools such as another chainsaw, a drill, massive shears, and a spike. 'Well that's just perfect,' thought Slade, 'even more tools to cut up my wardrobe.'

They'd been lucky that this Nomu didn't seem to possess any of the traits of the one that All Might had fought, and so far it hadn't shot fire or projectile attacks. But it was fairly strong and definitely resilient, with the ability to grow extra arms and produce weapons from said limbs. The only thing that had managed to save them so far was that none of those weapons possessed the strength to pierce Slade's skin at high density. This advantage, however, meant Slade was mostly on the defensive whenever the creature decided to go after Momo or the still groggy Awase.

"Keep working on the cannon and ammunition," said Slade as he rushed forward, "I'll keep the Nomu at bay." If Momo replied, Slade couldn't hear it as the monster began swinging its arms savagely at the density quirk user, each blow landing with a resounding scraping noise as Slade held his arms over his head to further protect himself from the onslaught. It wasn't painful, per se, but it was blasted irritating as he was hit by one arm after the other in the same pattern, drill, shears, chainsaw, spike repeat, drill, shears, chainsaw, spike, repeat. 'If I can just time this right,' Slade thought, 'We might be able to beat this thing.'

"Alright Slade, its ready," Momo shouted as loud as she could to be heard over the noise of the onslaught. Instead of speaking, Slade held out a thumbs up as he prepared to move. Just then, the Nomu, possibly frustrated with its lack of progress against its prey, slammed all of its arms against him at once. But Slade raised his arms and blocked the attack before pushing back, causing the Nomu to raise its arms in surprise as it staggered back. In the same instant, Slade lowered his density quickly and back-flipped out of the way of the cannon.

"EAT THIS!" exclaimed Momo as she fired a blast from the cannon, hitting the large monster in the chest and knocking it back into a few trees with the blast. Adding to this, the trees it hit toppled over onto it, leaving the Nomu buried under several pounds of wood. The two students waited for another moment before relaxing somewhat. "Did it work?"

"He's not getting up," Slade observed, "So that's something. We'd best get out of here just in case he wakes up." Momo couldn't agree more as they moved over to where their prone classmate was. By this point, he'd finally woken up a bit and was pulling himself to a standing position using the tree he'd been knocked against as support.

"Are you guys alright," asked Awase as he held a bloody spot on his head, "What happened?"

"We're fine," answered Mom as she and Slade approached, "And the Nomu is down for the moment. Even better, it looks like the gas from earlier is clearing up, so we can get back to-CRACK!" The sound of wood being cut and splintered reached their ears then as the Nomu burst out of the pile of small trees which had been covering it. The three students were showered with the debris, including one larger section of the trees which knocked Momo in the forehead and nearly rendered her unconscious.

Slade swore as he moved to cover the two of them with his high density body as the remainder of the debris impacted around them. "Awase," said Slade through gritted teeth, "grab Momo and get her out of here, I'll hold this prick back as long as I can."

"But what'll you do once we're-," Awase started to ask before the Nomu charged at them. Slade turned around and grabbed one of the creature's main arms, using his weight to yank it off its feet as he twisted the limb around in an Aikido maneuver meant for larger opponents. The Nomu growled in frustration as its body crashed into another tree.

"I can handle myself, now go," replied Slade as he stood and waited for the Nomu to charge again.

"Oh, what happened," groaned Momo as she started to stir, her forehead a bit bloody from the hit she took.

"We're getting you out of here," said Awase as he pulled her up by her arms.

"What about, Slade," said Momo weakly as she tried to move with the throbbing in her head?

"Believe me," said Awase as he watched the Nomu once again sprout four extra arms with sharp objects adorning each, "He's got a better chance of surviving this than we do." As the beast charged, Awase watched as Slade held up his arms again, waiting for the attack. But at the last second, the Nomu stopped. Slade lowered his arms slightly, confusion evident on his face as he watched the beast turn and start walking away. "Why did it stop?"

"This is bad," said Momo as realization spread across her face, "If that thing is retreating, it might mean that the villains have succeeded in their mission. They could have captured Bakugou and maybe a few others."

"In that case, Awase," said Slade as he turned to the 1B student holding his friend. "Can you get Momo back to camp? I'll follow this joker and see if I can't overhear where they're going."

"What, you can't seriously be thinking of going after that thing," questioned Awase.

"I can lower my density to the point where I won't even snap a twig," said Slade, "stealth isn't my forte, but when you got no foot falls it makes it a heck of a lot easier."

"I've got a better way," said Momo weakly as she generated a small device in her hand, barely larger than a quarter. "Awase, use your quirk and weld this onto the Nomu."

"What, but if he turns around and swats at me again-," Awase started to protest.

"I'll keep ya safe," said Slade, "Just move behind me if you see him starting to react." Awase still looked unsure, but eventually he took the device from Momo as the two of them moved quickly behind the retreating Nomu. As they got within arm's length, Awase cautiously approached as Slade moved around on his left side, barely two feet from him. Then, taking a deep breath, Awase shoved the device against the Nomu's back, right above its waist and fused it to its skin. The entire time, the Nomu didn't even flinch.

"Whew, that wasn't so bad," said Awase as they moved back towards Momo, "I guess that thing's intelligence is more limited than we thought."

"The Nomu are like combat androids," explained Slade, "Programmed for fighting and following orders, but not much else. They're basically mindless until they get a command."

"Lucky us," said Awase as Slade picked up the half conscious Momo and slung her arm over his shoulders.

"Let's hope our luck holds out until we get back to camp," said Slade as they began their trek back, hoping that the rest of their friends were doing alright.

Training Camp Main Building

'What's going on?' That thought kept repeating itself in Mina's head from the moment she heard Mandaly's first message. Hearing the second message about students defending themselves and that the villains were targeting Bakugou only made things worse as it riled up Kirishima and Iida who kept insisting that they needed to head out and fight. But Vlad wouldn't budge, even after a copy of one of the villains busted in and tried to burn them alive. The 1B teacher had been able to quickly restrain him with his quirk, though, trapping the shriveled up villain with his blood.

"You've got a lot of nerve busting in here without any apparent plan," said Vlad as he held the burned and charred villain against the wall with his quirk, "It's not wise to underestimate a pro."

"Except the plan is working perfectly," said the charred man, "We've already won this fight. Even if we don't technically succeed in our mission, the effects will still be felt."

"What are you talking about?" Questioned Vlad as he tightened his grip on the villain.

"The recent string of embarrassing incidents at U.A. has caused people to lose a good bit of faith in heroes," said the villain, "Your sloppy management has allowed villains to infiltrate and attack your school and the public time and time again. Imagine how the people will react once they learn of this attack, or even better, we succeed and actually kidnap a student."

"No way we're gonna let that happen to one of our classmates!" exclaimed Kirishima as he activated his quirk and hardened his body.

"Now that's rich, considering only a small group of us was all that was necessary to separate you from the pros and make you vulnerable to getting picked off," said the charred villain with a smug look on his face.

"Enough, you'd best start talking about how many of you there are right now!" Ordered Vlad as he moved to punch the villain in the face. But before he could, Aizawa leapt in and kicked the villain in the face.

"Interrogation's pointless on this one Vlad," said Aizawa as he continued to stamp his foot on the villain's head, "He was sent here to provoke us and has no intention of revealing anything."

"Uh, I think you've got 'em," said Kaminari as he and the rest of the students watched him continuously drive his heel into the villain's head, which had now become something resembling mud.

"As you can see, this one's a fake," said Aizawa as he removed his foot to reveal that there wasn't even the slightest hint of blood in the pile of mud the villain had become, "I took on another one like him earlier."

"It must be one of the villain's quirks," surmised Iida as everyone stepped forward to inspect the mess on the floor.

"How bad is the situation Eraser," questioned Vlad, "Any idea on what we're up against."

"I'm afraid I really couldn't say," replied Aizawa, "I was out there running the defense, but I had to take charge of Kota for a bit and get him back here. I need you to look after him and keep defending this place while I head back out to the fight."

"Are you sure that's the best idea," questioned Vlad, "We're pretty in the dark on the villains we're fighting."

"You should be able to handle yourself alone," said Aizawa, "This clone used the same strategy as the last one. The villains are probably sending their best here to keep us occupied since we're the pros, likely meaning there aren't many of them out there."

"Then you should let us fight too," said Kirishima, "If there aren't that many then you stand a better chance with some help!"

"He's right," said Iida, "If we make use of our numbers we can win this fight."

"Out of the question," said Aizawa as she shot them a glare, "You seem to have forgotten that they're here for you students. Bakugou is confirmed as one of their targets but we don't know for sure that he's the only one. Fact of the matter is, we're still very lacking in actual information."

"Then why don't you interrogate this guy for a bit," said a voice from the doorway as a guy with a jetpack was suddenly flung against the far wall by a small cloud, "And someone get me some help here already!" Everyone's eyes turned to the doorway to see a panting Clay in bad condition with several torn sections in his shirt as well as a number of burns and bloody spots on his skin. What was even more disconcerting was the fact that he held an unconscious Jirou bridal style in his arms, who was in a similar condition.

"Clay!" exclaimed half the class as they started gathering around the injured students.

"What happened Clay," questioned Aizawa, "Did you actually go head to head with this villain?"

"I said interrogate him, not me," said Clay, "And call emergency services already! The damn forest is on fire and I guarantee the two of us aren't the only ones hurt!"

"Here, we'll take Jirou," said Iida as he and Mina took the earphone jack girl from Clay and carefully set her on the floor.

"Vlad," said Aizawa as he turned to the 1B teacher, "I'll leave the villain's interrogation to you as well. I'm heading back out."

"Count me in as well," said Clay as he turned to head back out, but was stopped by Aizawa putting a hand on his shoulder.

"Have you really not taken stock of your own condition," said Aizawa, "It's impressive you're even standing right now. Plus, you know the villains are targeting students, you'd just be playing into their hands if you went out now."

"Except for the fact that the villain's only flyer is taken out," Clay said, "And given that we need to find everyone else as soon as possible, I don't think you can afford to not have an eye in the sky."

"There's no time to argue about this," said Aizawa, "Every second we waste here is another we could be losing a student. So I'm heading out and you're staying here to get your injuries looked at."

"I don't think it'll matter at this point whether he goes out or not," said a voice from down the hall. Everyone poked their heads out the door to see Slade, who was supporting Momo, and Awase walking towards them. "The villain we encountered retreated not too long ago. Meaning they probably succeeded, and Bakugou's gone."

Hospital near the Training Camp: Two Days Later

Slade had been right on the money in his assessment. Not long after he showed up, a telepathic message from Mandalay to the other pros confirmed that a number of the villains had escaped, with Bakugou. Vlad managed to call emergency services and get the remaining students evacuated from the camp and sent to a nearby hospital. In total, fifteen out of the forty two students were unconscious due to either the poison gas or other injuries, while another eleven suffered minor injuries of varying degrees. Only thirteen students managed to escape unharmed, at least physically speaking.

Pixie Bob also suffered a grievous head injury due to a blow from one of the escaped villains, while Rag Doll had gone missing, with the only trace of her being a bloodstained head piece that was part of her costume. The only good news in this whole situation was that four out of the ten villains that had attacked them had been defeated and arrested. To sum it all up, the summer training camp had been a disaster, and the villains had won. This fact had been repeating itself in Clay's head for the last two days as he regularly visited his injured classmates.

Jirou still hadn't woken up from the injury to her head caused by shrapnel, while Hagakure was in a similar state due to the poison gas. Then there was Midoriya, who'd probably gotten the worst beating out of all of them with two broken and messed up arms, one of which also had a massive burn on it. He'd gone up against an incredibly strong villain by the name of Muscular and had been forced to use One for All at a hundred percent, at least, just to fend him off before defeating him. He'd been slipping in and out of consciousness for the last two days, even with the help of Recovery Girl.

Now here Clay was again, the only difference this time was that it was more than just him and Slade. The remainder of class 1A had shown up as well to check on the condition of their friends. "Hey Clay," said Mina as they both exited Jirou and Hagakure's hospital room, "How are your injuries healing up?"

"Still a bit of burnt flesh," replied Clay as he glanced at the bandages on his arms, "But they stopped hurting some time ago. All things considered, though, I wouldn't even have these and Jirou would still be awake if my defenses had been better."

"Considering what you said you went up against, you're lucky you made it out alive," said Mina, "But at least you weren't completely useless when the attack happened."

"If you'd really wanted too, you probably could've burnt a hole through the wall and escaped," Clay pointed out.

"You didn't see what Vlad King did to that copy," replied Mina, "Trust me, we would've been hard pressed if we'd wanted to force our way out to go help."

"Well in that case, you had no choice but to stay," said Clay, "So there's no reason you should feel too bad."

"I guess," said Mina, not sounding convinced, "But there's something else that's been eating at me too. I just didn't realize it until this attack." Clay was about to ask what that was until they ran into the rest of the group outside of Midoriya's room.

"Oh good, you guys are here," said Kaminari as he ushered them into the room that currently housed Midoriya with everyone else, "Midoriya just woke up, but try to talk slowly, he seems a little out of it." Clay and Mina nod as they enter the room, where their friend is currently in a hospital bed with a cast on both arms, and a somewhat glazed look in his eyes. That didn't stop them from trying to talk to him though.

"You should see the school right now," said Sato, "There are even more reporters crowding the front gate than last time."

"Here, we got you a melon from all of us," said Mineta as he held up the fruit above his head.

"I also feel I should apologize," said Tokoyami, for the first time wearing a look that Clay and Slade could interpret as sadness. "I threatened your life and the lives of our friends."

"No, none of these injuries are from you Tokoyami," said Midoriya, "I overused my quirk and did this to myself. By the way, is the whole class here right now?" A somber silence filled the room before Iida spoke up.

"Jirou still hasn't woken up from the injury she took to the head and neither has Hagakure due to the poison gas," explained Iida. "Momo also took a fair blow to the head, but she finally woke up yesterday. So only the majority of the class is here right now."

"Seventeen in total," Uraraka added sadly, wishing they all could be there at the moment.

"And Bakugou is still missing," Todoroki said, his demeanor as calmly as ever.

"He already knows that Todoroki," exclaimed Mina, "Don't bring it up now!" But it was too late, the focus finally returned to Midoriya's eyes as his memory of the villains kidnapping Bakugou returned.

"All Might once said to me," Midoriya began, "That there are always gonna be people we can't save, who are out of our reach. That no matter how badly we want too, we can't protect everyone. So we have to do our best to protect the people we can reach. But Kacchan was right in front of me, and I couldn't save him because my body wouldn't move. It's just like Aizawa sensei said, my quirk is worthless if I give out after one hit. Now the villains have Kacchan because I failed to save him."

Tears were flowing freely down his face now as the green-haired hero-in-training was likely berating himself for his weakness internally. "And I think you're being too hard on yourself," said Clay as he crossed his arms and leaned against the wall, "You fought and took out that Muscular guy to save Kota. According to my Uncle, he was a nasty customer capable of squaring off against even All Might at his maximum power. The fact that you beat him and didn't immediately lose consciousness from the pain is amazing on its own. Then you went leaping around the camp anyway. All things considered, was there really anything else you could've done to stop them from taking Bakugou?"

"But I-," Izuku started to protest before Slade interrupted him.

"We all lost this fight," he said, "We were taken completely by surprise. Clay here wasn't able to keep Jirou from getting injured despite his best efforts, Shoji and Todoroki weren't able to get to Bakugou either, Momo wasn't able to get gas masks to everyone before some of them were overwhelmed by the poison gas and I failed to keep Momo safe from the flying debris that a Nomu sent into her head. To one degree or another we all failed, but that doesn't mean we can't fix it."

"Slade's right," said Kirishima, "We may have lost Bakugou, but we can get him back." A look of surprise crossed several of the student's faces upon hearing this declaration. "You see, the four of us were here yesterday too," he said, indicating Clay, Slade, Todoroki and himself, "Momo told Slade about her plan for the tracking device they managed to attach to that Nomu. She made a receiver to help All Might and the police in their investigation."

"So you're saying you intend to convince her to make another receiver for you?" Questioned Iida.

"She can refuse if she wants to," said Slade, "We'd never force her to do it."

"And say we were going to do such a thing," said Todoroki, "What about it?"

"But you can't just go off on your own like this!" Exclaimed Iida, practically yelling, "We need to leave this to actual professionals, it isn't time for us to get involved!"

"Sure," said Clay, "Because leaving it to the professionals has worked out great so far, right?"

"I know what we should do," said Kirishima, his own voice rising in intensity, "But I can't stand by a second time and do nothing! If I do, how can I call myself a hero or even a man for that matter?!"

"Guys, not here," urged Kaminari, "Shouldn't we discuss something like this somewhere besides the hospital?"

"But Iida's right," said Tsuyu, "You can't just go off like this."

"I know what you guys are tryin' to say, but just listen for a second," said Kirishima, "We 'can' save Bakugou. We actually have a shot." Kirishima turned to Midoriya then. "You get what I'm saying don't you Midoriya, you can still reach him."

"So Clay, you and Slade are both planning to go with them?" Questioned Mina.

"That is the general idea," said Slade, "We go in, get Bakugou out, and then run like crazy until we get back."

"Have the four of you completely lost it?!" exclaimed a frustrated Iida before Shoji put his arms in front of the class rep.

"Let's keep level heads here," said Shoji, "I understand Kirishima and Todoroki's frustration all too well because I too am frustrated with the situation." Shoji then produced a mouth with one of his dupli-arms. "But we need to keep ourselves from doing anything rash because of our emotions."

"I mean we only had permission to defend ourselves at the training camp," said Aoyama nervously, "But Mr. All Might is on the case, so we should just leave it to him."

"Aoyama speaks truthfully," Added Tokoyami, "And it's partially my fault that Bakugou was lost, so I've no room to talk when it comes to saving him."

"And I'd be just fine if All Might and my Uncle were actually one hundred percent on the case," said Clay, "But right now Aizawa and most of the other teachers at U.A. are busy juggling the % #storm known as the media, who's proving just as useless as always I might add. By the time they're done dealing with all that mess, it's very possible the league will have already done what they wanted to Bakugou. So you'll forgive some of us for not having the same confidence in the pros capabilities as the rest of the class."

"Please listen guys," said Tsuyu, "All of us are feeling frustrated that Bakugou was kidnapped, but we have to be rational about this. Regardless of your intentions, if you knowingly break the rules to go out and fight villains, then you're behaving just like the bad guys." A somber silence again fell over class 1A, until Clay broke it.

"In all the time we've been at U.A.," Clay began, "I never thought I'd hear you say something so idiotic Tsuyu, especially after everything that's happened."

"What did you just-," Iida started to say before Clay continued.

"Need I remind you that Slade and I are only here because we not only used our quirks to defend ourselves, but also freed and consorted with a known villain to escape imprisonment by a bunch of other villains," Clay pointed out, "We even covered for the guy when he escaped, which I'm sure is against the rules. Never mind the fact that we were actually able to return home alive because of it. And in case you've all forgotten, I don't recall any of us being given the order to defend ourselves at the USJ, but we did anyway because we knew the situation was out of control. At the camp, I sure as $%# didn't wait for the go ahead to fight back because it was obvious the pros didn't have the full picture of what was going on. Rules are bent, broken, and changed all the time when presented with situations no one expected, so my question is, the next time you watch a threatened innocent person about to be killed by a villain when the pros aren't around are you just gonna hop away because the rules say you can't help?"

"Now there is no call to speak to her that w-," Tokoyami tried to stop him, but Clay was at the point of no return as his frustration from the last two days was finally being released.

"I'm not just speaking to her, I'm speaking to all of you," Said Clay, "Because that same question applies to each and every one of us here. At the end of the day we're training to be heroes, but what good is it if we're prevented from even doing the right thing. My Uncle's life was once saved by a vigilante, an illegal hero, because he was tired of letting the rules dictate when he could do the right thing. So I've decided with the rest of these guys that I'm gonna go help rescue Bakugou because I believe it's the right thing to do."

"And just so you know," said Slade, "The plan isn't to fight villains, it's to save someone's life. If we play our cards right, we can avoid combat all together." There was clearly more to be said, but a knock on the door interrupted any further conversation as a doctor with messy brown hair walked in.

"Sorry for the interruption everyone," said the doctor, "But it's time for a check up on Midoriya's arms, so it'd be best if you all vacated the room."

"That's probably a good idea," said Sero, "The rest of us haven't seen how Jirou and Hagakure are doing yet."

"Hope you feel better soon Deku," said Uraraka as everyone filed out of the room. Though Kirishima held back for a moment to talk to Midoriya, likely about the plan to meet in front of the hospital that night. Clay also noticed that Iida was lingering in the doorway too. 'Here's hoping we don't get ratted out,' he thought as he followed the rest of class 1A down the hall.

That Night Outside the Hospital

"Do ya think Yaoyorozu is gonna be on board with making another receiver?" Questioned Kirishima.

"She's not as big of a stickler for the rules as Iida," said Clay, "And if anyone can convince her it's Slade. Add on to that her own frustrations about what she can do to help a fellow classmate and it adds up to a pretty fair chance. Though it's still not a sure thing."

"While it's true that we all want to rescue Bakugou pretty badly," said Todoroki, "We won't be going anywhere if she decides to refuse. But we also can't force her to cooperate either." All other conversation was cut short as the door to the entrance of the hospital slid open. Slade walked out with Momo on his right and, to the surprise of some, Midoriya following along behind.

"Well, have you decided what you want to do?" Questioned Kirishima. Momo still looked a little unsure, but as she was about to speak she was interrupted by the arrival of Iida.

"Just hold on," said Iida with a grim look on his face. "Tell me something, why are you two of all people doing this?" His question was directed at Todoroki and Midoriya. "You both kept me from acting recklessly in Hosu, and even had to receive amnesty along with me. So why are you trying to make the same mistakes as me?"

"What is he talking about," questioned Kirishima. But Todoroki put a hand on his shoulder, with a look on his face that said 'later.'

"We're students of U.A.," said Iida, his voice shaking a bit, "so anything we do will reflect on the school, which is already in a precarious position. Why don't you get that?"

"But we have to do this Iida," said Midoriya as he stepped forward to address his friend, "I know it's not good to break the rules but this is-." But he was cut off as Iida slugged him in the face, receiving a gasp from nearly everyone else there, except for Slade who immediately seized Iida by the collar of his shirt.

"You here to start a fight?!" exclaimed Slade as he was about to slam his fist into Iida's jaw.

"Slade wait," said Midoriya as he managed to stand back up from the blow. This caused the tall student to pause mid blow as Iida continued talking.

"I'm just as frustrated as the rest of you," said Iida, "As the class rep I'm worried about not just Bakugou but all our classmates! When I saw you in the hospital, all I could think of was how your injuries might become irreparable just like they were for my brother if I don't step in! Have you really not even considered where I'm coming from or does the way I feel not even matter to you?!"

"Slade, let him go," said Midoriya. With a huff, Slade did as he asked. "And Iida, of course I've thought about how you feel."

"But you've mistaken our goal," said Todoroki, "We know very well that we can't face them head on and win."

"As I mentioned earlier," said Slade as he crossed his arms, "You keep thinking this is the same situation as Stain, it's not."

"Yeah, we're just gonna sneak in there covert style," said Kirishima, "If we avoid fighting then we're not really breaking the rules."

"But there's no guarantee," said Momo, "I trust Slade and Todoroki's judgement, but in case the situation goes poorly, I'm coming along to back you all up. I've decided I'll stand with my classmates."

"You can't be serious Yaoyorozu," said Iida, clearly surprised by the model student's decision.

"I'm sorry that this hurts you," said Midoriya to Iida, "But I just can't sit still if there's something I can do. Ever since I've woken up, rescuing Bakugou is the only thing I can think about." Iida clenched his fists for a moment before relaxing.

"I couldn't possibly agree to that," said Iida after a moment, "So I'll be going with you as well." This turn of events managed to surprise even Clay upon hearing the class rep's declaration.

"Well alright then," said Clay, "Then we'd better get going. I got a feeling it's gonna be a long night."

 **And so the rescue begins as the students depart for the unknown, but what are they walking into? In the meantime, I hope you all enjoyed this most recent chapter, and please don't hate me too bad for having Clay go off on Froppy. Even if it was to advance the story I still feel like kind of a prick. As always, feel free to leave a comment or review about what you liked/disliked or if you have any ideas for future chapters. Be sure to stop in next time as our heroes enter the Kamino Ward. 'Til then.**


	46. The True Master Appears

**The True Master Appears**

On The Metro Train

"Judging by the signal," said Momo as she looked at the receiver she'd created, "The tracking device is in the Camino ward, specifically Yokohama City in the Kanagawa Prefecture. By the looks of it, I estimate our arrival time will be around two hours."

"Roughly ten o'clock at night then," said Slade as he sat across from Momo, "Well at least the streets should be slightly less crowded I guess."

"So I gotta ask," said Midoriya, "Did any of you tell the others what we were doing?"

"Kirishima and Todoroki did, yeah," said Clay, who was sitting across from Midoriya before taking a quick glance to the rest of their friends who were right across the row from them, "I don't see why they bothered when everyone already made it clear where they stood earlier. Even Uraraka was trying to get us to not go, something about considering how Bakugou would feel."

"Yeah, that sounds like her," Said Midoriya, "But I never got to ask, why do you two want to rescue Kacchan?"

"It's not so much about rescuing Bakugou really," explained Slade, "Truthfully I can't think of anyone from our class I'd want to rescue less, I'd even save Mineta over him. But it's a hero's job to save people regardless of their personal feelings for them. That and because I know you want to save him."

"We all want to see Bakugou safe," said Momo, "But I do have to ask if you're really okay with going against everyone's wishes to do so."

"As you just said, everyone wants to see Bakugou safe," said Clay, "They kept going on and on about how frustrated they were with the situation but kept bringing up the rules as an excuse to sit around. I get that they don't want us risking our lives, but we're training to put our lives in danger every day, and even if it hurts Bakugou a bit for us to save him, so what, the prick hardly ever considered anyone else's feelings before so what goes around comes around."

"But I'm still surprised you'd want to come along Clay," said Momo, "You probably have at least the same level of disdain for him as Slade does. I'm not trying to say you're an uncaring person, but it seems like you'd care the least about helping him."

"I personally don't care," said Clay, "But Kirishima cares, and Todoroki's willing to do more than sit around and be frustrated. But most of all, Midoriya here wants to save him, even if he has to do it alone. And being one of the guys that's known him the longest, I know there'd be no stopping him. So I'm coming along for his sake, not Bakugou's."

"But," Midoriya tried to think of how to phrase his question, "What if I hadn't made it out of the hospital tonight, or I'd decided not to go?"

"With that prick you still care about despite his attitude in danger, you'd want to help in any way you could," said Clay, "It was almost a given that you'd decide to go once you heard the plan. And if you hadn't made it out of the hospital, I would've gone in your stead because I know it would at least ease your mind."

"So you guys are here because of me," said Midoriya.

"Well not just you," said Slade, "When Momo decided to come along, that definitely gave me more incentive."

"But I came along because of you," said Momo before covering her mouth and blushing a bit, "I mean, I figured you'd do something reckless because Midoriya would want too. That's why I came along to make sure we stopped if the situation looked bad."

"And I also came along for a slightly personal reason," said Clay, "Those pricks hurt Jirou and a number of our other classmates. I'm blasted tired of them taking it to us all the time, so now we'll see what they do when someone else is on the attack for a change. But only if you're all still willing to do this."

"I am," said Midoriya, "I vowed to make the most of my quirk when I got it, so I can't turn back now." The look of determination in their friend's face was all they needed to know that he was serious.

Camino Ward

"I thought you said it would be less crowded by ten o' clock," said Clay as they looked out over the busy metropolitan area which was lit up with every variety of sign and light one could imagine. Tall buildings surrounded them on both sides and seemed to create a kind of bottleneck that contained a mass number of people. If Clay didn't know better he'd think a festival was going on.

"To be honest I've never been to the Camino Ward," said Slade, "Mom and Dad always told me it had some less than respectable places."

"Seems like it would be a perfect place for villains to hide then," said Todoroki.

"Alright then, let's get moving and find those villains already!" Exclaimed Kirishima as he looked like he was about to run off.

"Wait a moment Kirishima!" exclaimed Momo before recomposing herself. "Remember the villains know what we look like, which means we have to be extra careful since we're basically in enemy territory now."

"Got it, be stealthy from this point on," said Midoriya as he crossed his arms in front of his face.

"The idea is to stand out less, not more Midoriya," said Todoroki, noting their friend's random pose.

"Indeed," said Iida, "We won't be able to move around efficiently or take them by surprise if they recognize us. We'll need to do something about that."

"Like what, put on silly disguises or something like that?" Questioned Kirishima.

"Well there is a place we could do that," said Momo, fidgeting a bit as she pointed out a store by the name of 'Dirt Cheap Donki Oote.'

"Welcome to the world of fashionable espionage," quipped Clay as they proceeded into the colorful store. It took a bit of time given the store's surprising variety of items to choose from, but eventually they were able to put together disguises for each one of them. Midoriya got a fake goatee, a matching pair of blue pants and a jacket, with a pinkish shirt, a gold chain and some sunglasses to make himself look like some kind of gangster, along with an unconvincing attitude that Clay had to almost physically restrain himself from laughing at. Todoroki got a pair of purple pants and a vest over a white button up shirt to go with a blue-haired wig which was done up like a samurai ponytail.

Momo donned a large red dress which left her arms exposed, plus a gold necklace and white sunglasses. She also redid her ponytail to look wavy instead of its usual pointed look. Iida picked out some dress pants with suspenders, a white button-up shirt, and a red bowtie. He also slicked his hair back and added a small mustache. "I feel totally ridiculous," said Iida as he pulled at the bow tie a bit.

"You do look like a rejected James Bond villain," commented Clay as he stepped out of the changing room. He'd decided on a brown jacket, a grey scarf and some aviator goggles while also coming his hair back in favor of his usual part. Kirishima decided to don a red pants and jacket combo with a white shirt, some yellow chain bracelets and a couple of fake white horns on his head. Finally, Slade had somehow managed to find a massive, green trench coat and a Fedora hat which he put on over a wig of silver hair.

"I feel like I should start narrating noir style," commented Slade as he pulled on a pair of dark gloves.

"They probably got some fake badges right over there," Clay pointed out.

"Pass," Said Slade as they all headed out the door, "I'll play detective Zenigata for Halloween or something."

"Okay, but if this goes well, I vote you tell the story to everyone in noir style," said Clay as he was still trying his best not to laugh at Midoriya's poor 'bad boy' impersonation.

"No, you gotta jut your chin out a bit more," Kirishima corrected him.

"Is there any reason you couldn't have just used your quirk for this," Todoroki questioned Momo.

"I mean yes, but that's against the rules," exclaimed Momo frantically, "And besides, think of how it would affect the economy if I just started making everything! It's our, uh, civic duty to insure that commerce continues to flow." 'Tell me we didn't just waste more time than necessary because she wanted to go shopping,' thought Clay as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "Anyway, our destination is along this route."

"Look, it's U.A.," said a bystander from nearby. Everyone tensed as they looked around for the source of the voice. It was then that they realized everyone was looking up at one of the large screens embedded in the side of a nearby building. The news was broadcasting an earlier interview with principal Nedzu, Aizawa, and Vlad King. Nedzu was in his usual outfit but Aizawa and Vlad had donned business suits and combed their hair back for the occasion.

"We have come to apologize," said Aizawa, "We, the staff of U.A., were ill-prepared for a recent incident which caused injury to twenty seven of our first year students. We accept full responsibility for our negligence and for any trauma caused by it. Our duty lies in not just training heroes, but protecting those in training to become heroes." The three of them gave a formal, apologetic bow then as numerous flashes from cameras went off around them.

"What's going on," questioned Kirishima, "Sensei always said he hated being on TV."

"Which just goes to show how bad things are," said Clay as he felt his fists clench a bit, "Usually he'd avoid this kind of thing like the plague because little good comes from it half the time." As they continued to watch, one of the reporters began questioning them.

"There have been a reported four encounters with villains since the year began," said the reporter, "This latest incident left a number of students greatly injured. What have you been saying to the families of these students? What steps have you taken up to this point to avoid another incident such as this?"

"The media is treating them, like they're the bad guys in all of this," noted Midoriya as Clay noticed his fists were clenching as well. It was then that Clay remembered something that Eight Ball Knuckles had said to them. ''I've been around long enough to see the world change, and I can tell ya, it's changing again.'' He heard murmurs through the crowd then, comments of disapproval to thinly veiled insults, to people having the nerve to say U.A. should be ashamed of themselves.

The students all realized it then, the world was starting to turn against heroes, and it would continue to do so if something wasn't done soon. The next question came then from another reporter, this one commenting on the fact that Aizawa had given permission for the students to defend themselves, though they spun it like he'd been encouraging them to fight and get in more danger. Aizawa and Nedzu both explained that it had been necessary to insure a worse outcome didn't come to pass and that it was thanks to Kendo and Tetsutetsu that more casualties hadn't occurred. Of course the reporter tried to antagonize them by bringing up Bakugou's kidnapping, saying it was likely that he was being brainwashed by the villains and was unlikely to have a bright future like the other heroes in training.

Clay could see the irritation in his Uncle's eyes and half-expected him to snap on the reporter. But at the last second, Aizawa bowed again and assured them that Bakugou was one of the most determined to become the top hero, meaning he wouldn't simply be swayed over to the villain's side. "Let's go," Clay finally said as he turned and walked in the direction that Momo had previously indicated. The cloud user didn't know why he expected anything more, true his own faith in the pros had been shaken recently, but that was only because the pros he did trust were being held up by this kind of bull $ %.

"There goes the media again," said Slade, voicing his own thoughts, "Thinking they have to demonize people who are just trying to do their job. Morons don't even realize they're helping the villains."

"What do you mean by that," questioned Kirishima as the rest of them followed along with Momo taking the lead with her receiver.

"You remember what you told me that patched skin guy said," explained Slade, "He wondered how people would react to this latest incident. I'm certain his point was that people would lose faith in U.A. and even heroes in general. Well the media is doing exactly what the villains expected and are making our school staff look like the bad guys. Since a lot of people take what the media says at face value, they'd easily believe that U.A. just let the incident happen and will question if heroes are even looking out for them anymore."

"Another reason I didn't agree with us doing this in the first place," said Iida as he adjusted his glasses. "We could further damage the school's reputation if we're discovered."

"Well we're here now," said Todoroki, "There's no turning back at this point." Everyone else silently agreed as they continued into a far less crowded area which was littered with numerous warehouses and rundown shops. After a few turns, Momo signaled for them to stop at one of the corners. Peeking around, she checked the receiver to make sure she was reading it right.

"The signal's strongest from that building right there," said Momo, indicating a large, two story stone building surrounded by a grey stone wall with a gate at the front entrance. It's only real distinguishing feature was a pair of windows on the second floor and an overhang of sorts right below them.

"Kinda run down for a villain hideout," commented Kirishima as they took a look at the warehouse.

"Well it's not like we were expecting it to have a sign," said Clay, "Though I will be pleasantly surprised if they've got a secret underground lab."

"Unfortunately we can't be certain this even is the main base of the league," said Momo, "All we can say for sure is the signal hasn't moved from here in the past day." She retreated from the corner a bit to address everyone then. "There is one villain here for sure, but that doesn't mean there aren't more, also we have no actual confirmation that Bakugou is even here. We're essentially walking into this situation blind, so please exercise extreme caution as we proceed."

"I truthfully don't like this situation one bit," said Iida, "None of us really excel at sneaking around. If Jirou or Hagakure were here it'd be a different story. Listen, if the situation seems even the least bit dangerous we're calling this off, and I won't hesitate to call the police either in order to insure my friend's safety."

"The situation's already dangerous," Clay pointed out, "We're risking plenty just being here. As for the sneaking part, Slade, if you would." The density shifter nodded as Clay held out his hands in front of him and accepted his friend's foot before lifting up with all his strength to toss his now very light friend into the air. Slade then turned in midair and leapt off one wall, then another before pulling himself up onto a nearby roof to get a better view of the hideout. "Slade told me about his sneaking strategy after we got back from the camp, and given that he can make his body lighter than a cat's when necessary, he can move around without creating a lot of creaking from his weight."

"Of course," said Midoriya as he put his hand to his chin in thought, "I never thought about it before but the amount of noise created from a footstep is affected by the weight of the one stepping, meaning as long as he stays out of sight and rejoins us later it'll look like he just happened to run into us. Now we just need to find our own vantage point where it would be natural for a bunch of people to hang out but also afford a good view." 'And here he goes,' thought Clay as his friend continued to mutter out all of the possibilities and approaches they could use.

Eventually, it was decided that they'd leave the alley in two groups, one of which would congregate around a nearby vending machine after walking by the front gate. The other group retreated back into the alley and would emerge further down the street before also meeting at the vending machine. The first group consisted of Clay, Midoriya, Iida, and Todoroki while the second group was made up of Momo and Kirishima. Slade slid down the side of another nearby building before joining up with the second group as they emerged onto the street. It was a tense couple of minutes as they all tried their best to look like casual people who just happened to be strolling by.

"So far I haven't seen any movement," observed Todoroki as they all stood around the vending machine with Midoriya acting like he was trying to read the different prices.

"No lights on either," said Kirishima, "maybe we got lucky and no one's around at the moment."

"Given that they're hiding in plain sight, it's only natural that they'd make it look abandoned," said Momo.

"The weeds at the front door are practically undisturbed," said Midoriya, "It may mean they have another entrance, or someone's quirk is hiding the real entrance, in which case it could be a trap. Either way we need to find somewhere to get a look inside."

"Well could we hurry it up," said Slade who was currently holding up two drunks by their collars who'd been hitting on Momo, "We're starting to draw the wrong kind of attention here."

"I concur," said Todoroki as he started walking away, "Let's beat it already." Slade nodded as he tossed the two drunk men in business suits against the vending machine before they all proceeded to a nearby corner. "Alright, it's not incredibly crowded here but there's still enough people that we'd draw attention to ourselves if we're not careful."

"What should our next move be then," questioned Momo, "There has to be somewhere we can get a better look without being seen."

"The wall forms a square around the entire building," said Slade, "The back is out of view of the public, but it's a bit of a squeeze on either side thanks to the walls of the adjoining buildings around it."

"I think that's the best option we've got," said Midoriya, "We need solid intel on this place and the fewer people watching, the better." Iida and Momo didn't look happy that they'd be getting even closer to the building, but they also knew their classmate was right, and so they proceeded across the street and into the narrow space between the two walls that surrounded the warehouses. Slade's observation turned out to be an understatement on how tight of a fit it was, given that the only way they could move down it was by turning and slowly sidestepping. It took them a minute, and few concerned comments from Momo who was worried about getting stuck, but eventually Midoriya managed to spot a window in the back which they stopped under.

"We should be able to get a view of what we're up against through that window," he said.

"We'll need a way to see in the dark," noted Todoroki, seeing that there was no light coming through the window.

"Just give me a couple moments to create a night vision scope," said Momo as she removed her glasses.

"Don't worry," said Kirishima as he pulled out some night vision binoculars, "I got us covered on that front. After some thought I figured we'd need something like this."

"But I researched those once when I was deciding on a costume," said Midoriya, "They cost around fifty thousand yen or so."

"We're tryin' to save someone's life here man, no time to worry about that kind of stuff," said Kirishima. Izuku eventually nodded in understanding at his statement.

"Well in that case," said Todoroki, "We'll have Kirishima scout for us, with Midoriya helping him out." No one argued with this arrangement as Slade hoisted up Midoriya on his shoulders while Iida did the same with Kirishima.

"Alright," said Kirishima as he peered in with the binoculars, "Place is trashed in there, but there seems to be, OH $ #!" The red-haired teen recoiled in shock, nearly falling off of Iida's shoulders.

"What's wrong, have we been spotted," questioned Todoroki with mild concern in his voice.

"No," said Kirishima shakily as he handed Midoriya the binoculars, "There in the back left corner." Midoriya was more than a little concerned as he accepted the viewing device from his friend's now trembling hands. But a quick look with his own eyes through the binoculars told him why Kirishima had gotten so frightened. In the location where his friend had indicated where a dozen rectangular tanks with wires and hoses sticking out of the top.

And in those tanks, were the characteristic exposed brains of the league of Villain's main weapon. "All of those are Nomu," said Midoriya as he felt a bit of shaking in his own hands now. 'Secret lab, guess I called that one,' thought Clay before something caught his eye.

"Hey guys," said Clay as he noticed some movement at the end of the alley they were in, "I'm no expert, but I don't think that truck should be moving upwards." Everyone's eyes turned to see a white flatbed truck rising up in the air. Upon further inspection, they saw that it was actually attached like a shoe to a giant foot, Mt. Lady's foot. "Oh crap, brace yourselves!" No sooner had Clay said it than the giant heroine brought her foot down in an ax kick on the entrance to the warehouse.

A massive blast of air threatened to knock them all over as dust and debris flew everywhere. Everyone was disoriented for several moments before grasping the situation. "Did the building just explode," questioned Iida as he rubbed his aching head.

"We'd best take a look and see what's going on," said Slade as he hoisted Momo up to look over the wall while Iida again lifted Kirishima up.

"It's a pro hero raiding party," said Kirishima, "Mt. Lady, Gang Orca and Tiger are here rounding up the Nomu."

"As well as Best Jeanist," added Momo, noting the hero whose entire costume looked like a pair of jeans turned into a full outfit, "They're all backed up by several squads of police in riot gear, and I think Tiger is carrying Rag Doll."

"It seems we didn't have to worry after all," said Iida, "the heroes have this well in hand."

"That's the best news I've heard all night," said Kirishima as he and Momo were lowered to the ground.

"Now we'd best get back before anyone notices us," said Iida, "It wouldn't do for us to have to explain ourselves at this point."

"They also mentioned All Might," said Midoriya, who'd overheard Mt. Lady complaining about the ease of the raid and how they should've gone to the other one. "If he's not here then he must be at another location. He's probably rescued Kacchan by now."

"Well he's on the job after all," said Clay, "Now that is one thing I'm happy to be wrong about."

"True, with All Might helping out Bakugou is sure to be safe by now," said Momo as they all turned to leave. But they heard a voice then, one that sounded like it was coming out of a filter. Looking back, they saw a rather tall man emerging from the shadows of the ruined building. He wore a large suit fitted to his frame, but his most distinguishing feature was the bulky black mask he wore which encircled his entire head and neck with three tubes lining each side.

Best Jeanist quickly moved and wrapped the unknown man in numerous fibers from his costume and began to constrict them. But the stranger seemed unconcerned with this as his muscles suddenly bulged and black lightning shot out from them. No one had any time to react then as an explosion of bright light hit the whole area in front of the man, bowling over everything in its path. When the light faded, the scene had completely changed from one of triumph to one of absolute terror.

All of the pros had been knocked down, looking like they'd been beaten to a pulp and the bodies of numerous police officers were strewn about the rubble as a number of fires and burn marks dotted the area around the only one still left standing, or rather floating in this case. 'He took them all down in an instant,' thought Clay as an unrelenting feeling of terror fell over all of them, 'It's a wonder we didn't get caught in the blast too.' The cloud user risked a glance at the rest of his friends, finding that they were all just as frightened, if not more, than him. Even Todoroki and Slade looked like they might be sick from the overwhelming feeling of absolute dread that had gripped them.

'We knew Shigaraki couldn't be the real leader of the League of villains,' Clay surmised, 'the initial strategies used were beyond someone who easily let their emotions get the better of them when things started going wrong. Not to mention, Midoriya explained the origins of One for All to us and the existence of the supreme villain that the power combated.' Clay noticed that Midoriya had likely arrived at the same conclusion, given that the man emerged from a lab of Nomus, whose bodies were modified specifically for using multiple quirks. The mystery had always been where they got those quirks, until now.

It was from this man, a figure who'd risen with the power to steal the quirks of others to use for himself or bestow on those who agreed to follow him. The legendary villain was also responsible for All Might's current deteriorating condition. The nightmare in the flesh, All for One was here.

 **The baddest of the big bads has appeared, what will happen if he manages to catch sight of our heroes? Hello everyone, hope you've been having a good week and that you found this latest chapter enjoyable. As always, feel free to leave a comment or review about what you liked/disliked or if you've got a cool idea for future chapters. Be sure to stop in next time as our heroes witness the might of All for One. 'Til then.**


	47. Launch The Hero's Chariot

**Launch the Hero's Chariot**

Camino Ward: Remains of Villain Hideout

Clay couldn't recall the last time he'd felt this terrified of anything, or anyone. He'd certainly been afraid for his life and the life of his friends in the last few days, but this was different. This fear was like something primal, like every instinct he had was telling him how outmatched they were. That feeling of dread rooted him and his friends to the spot. The only part of his body he was really able to move seemed to be his head as he stole an incredibly shaky glance at the apparent grandfather of all villains.

And what was All for One doing? Simply strolling forward towards the defeated pros, slowly clapping his hands at the fact that they weren't all dead. Best Jeanist had managed to use his threads to pull the other pros out of the way of the blast in time, but they had still taken a fair hit and were in no shape to fight. That didn't stop Best Jeanist from taking one last shot with the threads from his costume, but it was all in vain as All for One simply fired a high powered air blast which blew a hole in his stomach, rendering the pro more than down for the count.

'We need to get out of here,' thought Clay as he snuck a glance at his other classmates, noting their own fear and terror. 'Even if we weren't this scared, it's obvious we're no match for this guy without some help.' The cloud user started pulling his head back behind the nearly destroyed wall, the only thing that had kept them from being seen by the villain so far until he noticed a strange sight. In front of All for one, some kind of oil-like substance had warped into existence. In the next instant, that substance spat something out, or rather someone, Bakugou.

'Oh now that's just great,' thought Clay as even more portals of black tar appeared, spitting out Shigaraki, Kurorgiri, and what must've been the rest of the villains that had attacked the training camp. Clearly All for One's teleporting was rough on its passengers as each one of the villains looked like they were going to be sick to varying degrees. Kurogiri and a man in a black coat with burnt skin were both unconscious for some reason, but that didn't seem to bother All for One as he spoke to Shigaraki. 'If Bakugou's here with the rest of these villains, then the big bad here must've teleported them from another hideout, the one Slade and I had left a tip about several days ago.'

It was then that Clay noticed Midoriya making a move, albeit slowly and shakily. 'Shouldn't have expected anything less,' he thought, 'Bakugou is literally five or six meters away from us. No doubt he wants to try something, but what can we do in this instance?' Iida had clearly noticed their green-haired friend's movement as well, because he quickly grabbed onto both Midoriya and Todoroki's arms, the look of fear on his face conveying the message easily without him having to say a word, 'don't do it.'

"Ah, so there you are," said All for One, speaking up enough for everyone to hear him. They all tensed at that moment, ready to move at the slightest twitch from the villain. As it turned out, however, he hadn't been referring to them as a blue, red and yellow streak came charging down from the sky like a comet, slamming into the head villain who'd managed to stop the figure with both of his hands.

"You'll be returning my student now, All for One!" declared the arriving symbol of peace as the ground underneath them shattered from the force of the two powerhouse's struggle.

"Have you come here to end me yet again All Might," questioned All for One as he pushed back against the number one hero. Their struggle was so intense that it released a blast of air pressure and debris that threatened to blow everyone away.

"This isn't good, All Might's outnumbered," said Midoriya, his tone now one of worry instead of fear as the two titans retreated from each other, finally allowing the dust to settle.

"I'm not sure that's even the main issue here," said Slade as they watched the two opponents exchange a few words about their weakened conditions. "With two heavy hitters clashing like this, it's likely no one in this whole area is safe." Everyone else quickly saw what the density shifter was talking about as All Might charged again, only to be blasted into a nearby building by an air blast reinforced with a few other quirks. The shot was so intense that it caused a good bit of damage to the area behind the building as well.

All for One then held out his other hand, producing black, branch-like protrusions from his fingers that jabbed into the unconscious Kurogiri. The branches then began to glow with numerous red lines similar to a circuit board, causing one of the villain's warp gates to open. 'He's sending the other villains away,' Clay realized as the main villain withdrew the branches back into his fingers, 'He likely arrived at the same conclusion about his and All Might's clash.'

Shigaraki, however, apparently needed to have it explained to him as he seemed to protest for a moment before All Might burst from the rubble and charged at All for One again. The head villain proceeded to float into the air to meet his adversary, creating another brilliant shockwave as they clashed once more. The remaining villains crowded around Bakugou then, clearly intent on dragging him through the portal with them. "This is bad," said Midoriya as they watched All Might try and fail to reach Bakugou as he was intercepted time and again by One for All, "All Might can't reach Kacchan right now because that villain's in the way, and with six villains against him it'll only be a matter of time before they drag him away."

"But we can't get involved," said Iida through gritted teeth, "We're students, it's against the rules for us to fight. I won't let you go out there!" For some reason, hearing that made Clay clench his fists as he took a few deep breaths to calm his nerves. 'The situation is out of control,' the cloud user thought, 'As long as Bakugou's out there All Might won't be able to focus on the big boss, which means the solution to the whole problem is to get him away from the battle.'

"I c-can," Clay said shakily at first, "I can get to him. I should be able to get Bakugou out of there."

"Did you not just hear me, we can't-," Iida started to say before he was cut off by Clay.

"I won't need to fight," said Clay, "With my mobility, I should be able to snatch him out of midair and fly away. With luck, the bad guys will be too surprised to come after us before I get out of their range."

"And what'll you do if the villains react too quickly," questioned Slade with a look of concern on his face.

"I'll just have to leave that up to you guys," said Clay, "If they knock me out of the air, I'll have no choice but to fight back."

"That's far too risky," exclaimed Iida, "as class rep I cannot allow you to endanger-."

"We're not in school right now Iida!" exclaimed Clay, doing his best not to shout. "If you haven't noticed, both the police and the pros are down meaning we are the only ones here who can do anything! So if you want to help, listen to Midoriya because he's likely already got a plan in mind." Iida wanted to argue but said green-haired student spoke up instead.

"Clay's method could work," said Izuku, "But I've also got a plan and it'll require your help Kirishima."

"What, me," said Kirishima, wondering what in the world he could do.

"We're going to need the details Midoriya," said Todoroki.

"Then I'd best be off," said Clay as he produced his cloud gauntlets and a larger riding cloud, "You give them the details Midoriya, just in case."

"Just be careful Clay," said Momo, "I don't want to lose any friends tonight."

"You got it," replied the cloud user, wishing he was half as confident as he sounded. Looking out over the wall, he watched as Bakugou continued to evade the villains until the moment he used one of his explosions to launch himself into the air. 'NOW,' thought Clay as he shot out from behind the wall, forming a large cloud hand while flying through the air. His target wasn't at all prepared to be snatched out of the air, but he quickly recognized the quirk that was being used.

"What the," said Bakugou as the cloud hand wrapped around him and began dragging him through the air behind Clay, "What are you doing here stormy?!"

"Trying to save your ungrateful a-AH $%$," Clay had been cut off when he felt something pulling Bakugou back towards the villains. 'Crap, I forgot one of the villains had some kind of quirk that turned people into magnets.' Said villain was a man with long brown hair, wearing sunglasses and a pink button-up shirt who currently had one hand held out and another hand on the crazy blond girl who Clay had learned was called Himiko Toga after she attacked him and Mina at the mall. "Like heck you will!"

Clay sped back towards the villains while reshaping the cloud that was holding Bakugou into a large, spikey cushion. The magnetic villain was caught off guard as he and Toga rolled out of the way, causing his quirk to end and letting Bakugou land back on the ground. "I know this quirk," said Shigaraki as Clay landed next to his classmate, "You're that blasted cloud boy, Clay Cero!"

"Hey if it ain't the man with a hand fetish," said Clay as he removed the goggles from his head, mostly to disguise the shaking in his own hands, "Last time I saw you there were holes in your limbs, how'd that happen again?"

"You put them there," sneered Shigaraki, "But since you're here, you can pay for your little transgression with your life!"

"Great plan, idiot, now we're both in trouble," commented Bakugou in his usual tone.

"I didn't see you coming up with anything," Clay shot back, "So just shut up and fight." The explosion quirk user clearly wanted to say more but the villains charged them before he could. Clay quickly created a pair of cloud shields which he used to block a couple of throwing knives on one side while stopping a kick from a lizard man dressed like Stain, Spinner if he recalled Mandalay's description correctly. Bakugou, meanwhile, used his quirk to blast apart the ground in front of him to push back a masked man dressed like a magician, Mr. Compress he'd been called, and another villain in a blue and grey body suit with a gray mask known as Twice.

Clay then used the clouds on his feet to leap a couple of feet in the air to avoid Shigaraki's surprisingly quick attack, only to be met in midair by Toga who attempted to stab his eyes with another pair of knives. Clay just managed to block her attack with his cloud gauntlet, but the knives still sunk into the cloud enough for the psychotic girl to hold on. "You're not exactly my type, but a little blood will make your corpse look terrific," said Toga with a toothy smile.

"I'm afraid I'll have to pass," said Clay as he lashed out with a kick, forcing her to move away, "I'm more of a scars guy anyhow."

"Either way you're better dead," said Spinner as he tried to swipe at him from behind. Fortunately, Clay was able to produce more clouds out of the back of his neck to stop the claw strike to his head. Shigaraki took that moment to get in under his guard, grabbing onto his side. Clay reacted with a cloud punch to his enemy's face, managing to get the villain away from him with only his jacket, which he quickly discarded, getting disintegrated. 'Geez, any time now guys,' thought the cloud user as he formed a staff and deflected another knife attack before getting knocked back by a follow up kick from Toga.

Bakugou was also holding his own, though mostly due to evading and blasting at the magnet quirk user, who Clay now recalled was called Magne, in order to keep himself from getting knocked upside the head by his large, rectangular weapon. though at one point, both of them dodged an attack at the same time and ran into each other's backs. "Jeez, I already had enough problems without you being here," said Bakugou as they stood back to back again, "could you have come up with a worse plan?"

"It wasn't my idea to come here in the first place," said Clay as he glanced over to the wall where the others were hiding, noticing Slade signaling with a thumbs up, "but you're the idiot if you think that little snatch and grab was the only idea we had."

"What in the world do you mean by 'we,'" questioned a clearly skeptical Bakugou. His question was answered a moment later as the nearby wall was busted open by Kirishima, who was being propelled by both Midoriya's full cowl and Iida's recipro burst. In the next instant, a large ice ramp was also erected by Todoroki, allowing the three to launch into the air at an incredible speed.

"That's your ride!" declared Clay as he leapt forward, releasing a large amount of clouds in a smokescreen style attack. 'Stealth formation, ominous fog,' thought Clay as the remaining villains who weren't blinded by the clouds ran towards Bakugou. But the explosion user managed to catch onto what was happening and unleashed a rather large dual blast, propelling himself through the air like a rocket to meet the other three flying students.

"Don't let him escape!" ordered Shigaraki. Magne was the first to act, calling over Twice and Compress. But as he was about to turn them into repelling magnets, Slade slammed into his back with a shoulder charge, knocking all three of them over.

"Stealth charge successful," said Slade as he lowered his density and jumped towards Clay, "Now let's get out of here!" The cloud user couldn't agree more as he flew out of his own generated fog and grabbed onto his friend, flying away high and fast as the fog dispersed below them. The villains tried to pick themselves back up, but were knocked away by the arrival of yet another pro in the form of Gran Torino.

"Did Momo and Todoroki get out okay?" Questioned Clay as they flew in between a few buildings.

"They hightailed it as soon as Midoriya and the others launched off the ice ramp," replied Slade as he reoriented himself a bit on Clay's cloud. "So the best thing we can do now that we got Bakugou is put some distance between us and this fight."

"Don't have to tell me twice," Said Clay as he sped along the street, "Our mission's accomplished. Let's just hope it was enough."

Camino Ward Main District: A Short Time Later

In a stark contrast to the bustling but calm atmosphere from earlier, the streets were now filled with a sense of panic and confusion. Numerous people were rushing away from the scene of All Might and All for One's clash as a number of pros did their best to keep the crowds under control. The one good thing about this was that after meeting back up Clay, Todoroki, Momo, and Slade had no trouble blending into the crowd even with the cloud user's battle damaged state and the dual quirk user removing his wig. 'Sheesh, we've gotten this far from the fight and I can still see the smoke from the fires,' thought Slade as he glanced back over his shoulder.

"Good news," said Todoroki, who'd been on his phone with Midoriya for the last couple of minutes, "The others are in front of the station. Bakugou's still with them and it doesn't look like any of the villains managed to follow them."

"They must've retreated after Gran Torino showed up," said Slade, "Not really a surprise given that most of them were down for the count."

"I don't think that's the most pressing concern right now," said Clay as he pointed up at one of the large screens in one of the buildings. The news was currently broadcasting the scene from the half destroyed ward were All Might and All for One were fighting, and it didn't look good. Sure, All for One had clearly taken a hit, which had smashed his mask open and revealed the scarred and eyeless visage of the monster underneath, but he still seemed ready to fight. All Might, on the other hand, had the sleeves of his outfit torn and his body was covered in bruises, some of which were noticeably bleeding.

What was worse, Clay saw what appeared to be a bit of steam coming from his form. 'He doesn't have much time left. If he can't win in the next few minutes then-.' He wasn't able to finish the thought as All for One launched another massive air blast against the symbol of peace. All Might couldn't dodge because of a civilian behind him in the blast zone, so he was forced to take the brunt of the hit. Clay could almost swear he felt the shockwave of the impact from where he was standing.

In the next few moments, the dust cleared. All Might was, fortunately, still standing but not as he once was. Now standing before All for One and the rest of the world was a scrawny man with bloody hands and messy, drooping hair. The secret, weak form that the number one hero had been hiding for years was now exposed and at the worst possible time.

'This isn't just a fight we're watching right now,' thought Clay as he realized the full implications of the battle's outcome, 'This is history writing itself before our very eyes. Whatever happens now, will change everything!' And change everything it did.

 **The rescue of Bakugou was a success! But now the world watches as All Might faces off once more with his most powerful nemesis. One thing is for certain, regardless of who wins, the world of heroes and villains won't be the same. In the meantime, hello everyone, hope you enjoyed this latest chapter, even if it was short for the usual reason: it just seemed like a good place to end the chapter. As always feel free to leave a comment or review about what you liked/disliked or if you've got any neat ideas for future chapters. Be sure to stop in next time as our heroes in training bear witness to a clash of titans! 'Til next time.**


	48. Changing Hands

**Changing Hands**

Camino Ward Main District

The image of the symbol of peace, the man who was always smiling and never seemed to worry as he almost effortlessly thwarted villains, had been exposed by All for One. That same villain stood across from All Might, likely gloating about how pitiful he looked. And all Clay, Slade and the others could do was watch the tragic scene unfold on the screen, waiting for what seemed like the inevitable moment where the villain would strike down the hero in front of the world. But All for One seemed content in babbling on about something that he must've found hilarious, especially when he mentioned something that clearly shocked the symbol of peace.

It all seemed hopeless, until someone started cheering. "You can win All Might, you have too," said someone in the crowd.

"You can't lose here, keep going," said another citizen as a murmur ran through the crowd that grew and grew. 'They still believe in him,' thought Clay as he glanced at the others, the same thought likely racing through their heads, 'Everyone knows this is the only thing we can do now.'

"Kick his ##!" Clay yelled as the rest of the crowd cheered for the symbol of peace to keep fighting. For whatever reason, this seemed to spur All Might on as his right arm returned to its muscular form and a look of determination crossed the number one hero's face once more. This display seemed to amuse All for One as he floated into the air and increased the size of his own right arm. But just as he was about to fire, he adjusted his aim to blast away a torrent of flame which came out of nowhere.

Clay released a breath he didn't know he'd been holding as the screen zoomed out to show that Endeavor and Edgeshot, a man wearing a red, ninja style outfit with a strange point in his silver hair had arrived. 'The hero team from the other hideout,' thought Clay, 'they must've dealt with whatever was holding them up and now they're here to help.' Admittedly there wasn't too much they could do other than distract All for One or move the injured civilians out of the area, but it was all the help the number one hero needed to ready his next attack.

But All for One was ready as he fired off another air cannon, blowing the other heroes away from the area before increasing his arm's size even more until it was a deformed mass of flesh and spiky metal on his right side. They launched their attacks then, the impact of their fists colliding seeming to cause a small quake as All Might was temporarily pushed back. But the number one hero planted his feet, causing the ground to crack and break behind him before he somehow transferred the energy from his right arm to his left. All for One's blow slipped past him then, the apparently surprised supervillain couldn't react in time as the symbol of peace slammed a massive left hook into his eyeless face, smearing his fist with the blood of his adversary.

All for One seemed to recover in that instant as he transformed his left arm into the same enhanced state as his right. But All Might was quicker, transferring his strength back into his right arm before slamming it home into All for One's face yet again. 'Even Midoriya wasn't sure if this move was real,' thought Clay as he watched the symbol of peace slam his opponent into the ground with the force of his blow, 'United States of Smash!' It was an even more spectacular move than he could've imagined as the swirling pressure from the blow created a tornado around the impact area, causing dust and rubble to spin around in all directions before being blown away.

It was a tense moment then as everyone waited for the dust to clear, anticipating the outcome. Two figures became visible then, one laying defeated on the ground while the other stood exhausted but victorious. Raising his fist in the air, the figure's size increased into his musclebound state, declaring the fight over. "He did it, All Might has won!" yelled the reporter over the monitor. The crowd around them cheered as people all over Japan and possibly the world rejoiced that the symbol of peace had triumphed once again.

"It's," All Might suddenly said as he pointed at the camera, reverting to his weak state once more, "Your turn next!" The crowd cheered even louder as they felt the message was a warning to other criminals. But Clay and Slade both knew that this was it. All Might had put everything that was left of his fading body into that last punch. Which meant that it was Midoriya's turn to take up the mantle for the symbol of peace. But he wasn't ready yet, far from it in fact, which meant that starting now they would be living in a world without All Might.

Hospital Near Training Camp

'Why in the world is everyone yelling,' thought Jirou groggily as her eyes slowly opened. The last thing she remembered was fighting in a bunch of low hanging clouds with Clay before taking out a nut job in a jetpack. After that, she'd gotten dizzy and her head felt like it was going to split open before she passed out. Her head still hurt pretty bad and the sound of someone whining was not helping. "C-could you tone it down a l-little," she said as she slowly sat up in her bed.

The first thing she noticed was that she wasn't in her own bed or a mat at the training camp. Instead she was in a hospital bed wearing a gown. The next thing she noticed was suddenly being enveloped in a pair of pink arms that threatened to choke the life out of here. "Jirou, oh my gosh Jirou you're actually awake!" sobbed Mina.

"Uh yeah," gasped Jirou as she struggled to take in air, "I w-won't be much longer if I can't b-breathe."

"I'm sorry," said Mina as she let go of her friend and took a seat next to the bed, "Everything's just been so crazy lately. You waking up is the second bit of good news I've had all evening."

"Shoot what time even is it?" questioned Jirou as she rubbed her eyes, "And how long have I been out."

"It's eleven o' clock at night," said Mina, "But you've been out for a couple of days. A lots happened, but the main thing is this." Mina directed Jirou's attention to a TV hanging in the room currently showing a breaking news report, about All Might. Except he didn't look like All Might.

"Why does All Might look like a freakin' skeleton?" Questioned Jirou, "Does the rest of the class know about this? Crap how is the rest of the class even doing?!"

"Everyone's fine, well mostly," said Mina as she tried to calm her friend, "I'd better start at the beginning. Like I said, a lot's happened." Jirou had a million questions, but she decided it was best to let Mina explain everything first.

And so Mina told her everything that she knew. About Bakugou's kidnapping, Kirishima and some of the others wanting to go rescue them, the raid operation by the pros which turned into this massive fight with some kind of boss villain, and finally about how All Might just barely managed to take him down not even an hour ago. It was a fair bit to take in for the rocker girl, especially with a headache like the one she had, but one question did make its way to the front of her mind. "It's good that All Might won and all," said Jirou, "But have you guys heard anything out of the group that went with Kirishima?"

Mina sighed before answering. "I sent Clay and Momo some messages a little while ago. I finally got a reply from Yamomo's phone saying they were alright, and so is Bakugou."

"Well that's a big relief," said Jirou, "When you told me they went after him, well, I don't know what I was expecting to hear."

"I should've done something," said Mina, "I waited for Momo to get out of the hospital and waited around the corner for her and Slade to meet up with the others. I tried to think up an argument for why they shouldn't go, but the literal smartest people in the whole class were there, what could I say that they couldn't shoot down. And then there was Clay. I'd never seen him as irritable as he was, he practically yelled at Tsuyu, Tsuyu of all people."

"I doubt you could've stopped them," said Jirou after thinking for a moment, "If the whole rest of the class wasn't enough to convince them then I doubt anyone really could have. Is that why you're still hanging around the hospital this late in the evening?"

"Actually there was another reason for that," said Mina as she suddenly hugged Jirou again. "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!"

"Wo, take it easy, why are you apologizing?" Questioned a startled Jirou as she tried to process what was happening.

"Before the villain attack happened, the last thing I remember saying to you was how I was going to get you back for walking in the woods with Clay. I let myself get competitive over a guy and because of that one of my best friends almost died thinking I hated her!" Jirou saw the tears welling up in her friend's eyes before she hugged her back.

"I never thought you hated me," said Jirou, "I might have thought you were a little more competitive than I expected, but I never hated you. We both started that little competition of ours so I'm equally to blame, and it was kind of stupid of us anyway. For all we know Clay doesn't see us as anything more than friends and even if he does like one of us, that's no reason to let it get in the way of us being friends."

"So truce then," said Mina with a small smile on her face.

"Sure thing," said Jirou with her own mischievous smile, "But that doesn't mean I won't still go after him."

"But you just said he might not like either of us," Mina pointed out with a shake of her head.

"Well we'd need to find that out first now, wouldn't we," said Jirou with a wink.

"Now I'd better get the doctor," said Mina with a smile, "Because you've definitely suffered some brain damage." The two friends laughed at this, happy that the air was clear between them.

The Cero Residence: The Next Day

'So that's it then,' thought Clay as he scrolled through the news on his phone, 'All Might's finally been forced to retire.' He'd been getting as much sleep as he could, given how exhausted he was when he got home. His parents obviously had a few questions, but they'd quickly realized his current state and sent him up to his room to get some rest. 'I hope everyone else is sleeping okay.'

They'd all managed to meet up after getting away from the crowd in the Camino ward. They escorted Bakugou, who'd been unusually quiet, to the police before going their separate ways to make it home. Now here he was looking over the news to see if they'd somehow been caught on camera or something. So far, they seemed to be in the clear, though that didn't mean word wouldn't get back to U.A. given that All Might had definitely seen them.

"Clay!" called his mother from downstairs, "You'd better get down here!"

"What's going on?" Clay called back down to his mother, curious as to what the big emergency could be.

"Your Uncle's here to see you!" answered his mother. 'Oh crap,' thought Clay as he felt the color drain from his face, 'Only one reason I can think of that he'd be here right now.' And he was unfortunately right as the moment he got downstairs he was directed to the area with his punching bag to don training gear. After that, well, his Uncle got to expressing his displeasure at length.

"WHAT WERE YOU THINKING!" exclaimed Aizawa as he kicked under Clay's guard and knocked him onto the floor for what must've been the fifth time. The blow nearly knocked the wind out of him even with the training gear on. "You knew very well the authorities were handling the situation and yet you still went!"

"I couldn't just sit and wait," said Clay as he used a sweep kick before leaping back up with a combination of punches. None of them connected as his Uncle moved back, blocking a number of his hits before countering with a ridge hand towards his head. "I had to do something!" Said Clay as he blocked the first blow, then another before attempting a round house kick which Aizawa caught before spinning and knocking his other leg out from under him. No sooner had he hit the floor before he rolled away and back up.

"You put yourselves in jeopardy and betrayed my trust," said Aizawa, "Did you even consider that before you went running off?"

"Your trust," said Clay as he rushed his Uncle again, "We trusted you to keep things from getting that bad!" Aizawa dodged and blocked a number of punches and kicks as Clay continued to rant. "Instead everyone was running around like chickens with their heads cut off when the camp was attacked! I would've trusted the authorities if you were there for the raid but you weren't, you were busy dealing with a media circus!"

His Uncle twisted around another one of his punches before using a spin kick that was aimed at his head. Clay was just barely able to raise his arm to block the blow, but it still knocked him over onto the floor. "I get that what we did wasn't the smartest thing," said Clay as he struggled to a half-kneeling position, "And I am sorry I went against your wishes. But I won't apologize for doing what I thought was the right thing at the time. You of all people should know that the rules can't account for every situation!"

"I do know," said Aizawa as he relaxed his fighting posture, "But that doesn't give you free reign to go break them when it suits you. I understand that it wasn't your idea but you went knowing very well that confrontation was likely unavoidable. Did you even have a plan for when you got there?"

"All we had to go on was what we heard about the villains after the camp attack," replied Clay as he stood up, "We couldn't make a solid plan until we arrived and that was assuming we didn't deem it too dangerous. So no we didn't have an exact plan, but we weren't being stupid about it either."

"The fact that you went there at all can still be seen as grounds for expulsion from U.A.," said Aizawa, "Did you consider that possibility?"

"A hero school that won't even let me perform the duties of a hero ain't worth the time," said Clay, "Have you even considered the irony of telling us not to risk our lives when that's exactly what you've been training us to do? Not to mention the only reason Bakugou is safe right now is because we happened to be there at the time."

"After the pros took out most of the other villains," Aizawa pointed out, "If All for One hadn't appeared then the situation would've been handled. So don't go using blind luck to justify reckless actions."

"Then I guess we both need to work harder," said Clay as he came in with a feint round house kick before striking out with a right hook. Aizawa redirected the blow before catching Clay's elbow and pushing it out of the way to use his own elbow strike. Clay caught his elbow and attempted to bend his Uncle's arm backwards. "You guys need to work on security and we need to get good enough that you'll stop treating us like kids!"

Aizawa flipped forward, twisting his arm out of Clay's hold before grabbing the cloud user's arm and twisting it behind his back. Clay was forced down onto the floor as the erasure hero pinned him with his knee. "I think this should show you just how much more you need to learn before that can happen."

"Well would you mind telling us the other reason you're here," said Clay's mother as her and Clay's father stood by the wall watching the bout unfold. "It's already obvious you're not here to expel him, otherwise you wouldn't be knocking him around."

"Yes that's right," said Aizawa as he helped Clay up, "I need to talk to the both of you as well. The school has been working on a new system of sorts that we think will allow us to better protect the students. A dorm system."

"So you intend for Clay here to live at the school," said Clay's father with a hand on his chin, "And what have the parents of the other students said about this so far?"

"You're the first I've come to," replied Aizawa, "I'd hope to get a better view on what we're up against and my sister here knows better than most the kind of unpredictability pros face on a daily basis. Not to mention, Clay needed a bit of punishment."

"True, but that's supposed to be our job as his parents," said Clay's mother. "Now what are we supposed to do?"

"Well before Clay can be allowed to move into the dorms, I'll need the consent of both of you," explained Aizawa.

"Don't I get any kind of a say in all of this," Said Clay, who'd been removing his training gear during the conversation.

"After the stunt you've pulled you're lucky we don't take you out of U.A. right now," said his father, "It was already bad enough that your class kept getting attacked by villains. So no, your future at that school is not up to you right now." Clay simply sighed and crossed his arms before leaning against the wall.

"Truthfully that does make me wonder," said Clay's mother as she turned back to Aizawa. "This dorm system seems sound, but what other precautions are you taking?"

"We'll have actual patrols as well as increased surveillance," explained Clay's Uncle, "But we'll also be pushing the curriculum up. We'll do everything we can to keep them safe while they're at the school, though I won't lie to you and say we can keep them safe twenty four seven. Also, while I hate to agree with my nephew on this, we are training our students to confront dangerous situations, which means they will be in harm's way at some point. If you don't feel that Clay is up to it or you don't trust me to keep him safe, then I won't argue with your decision to pull him from the school."

Both of Clay's parents looked thoughtful for a few moments before his father spoke up. "We both know that grade-wise, Clay is doing relatively well, not top of the class necessarily but far from failing. What's your assessment on his potential to be a hero?"

"My assessment on his potential hasn't changed since the start of the year," replied Aizawa, "Clay's got the potential to become at least a fairly good hero if not a great one with enough time and practice."

"And Clay," said his mother, "given that your own pro hero of an Uncle has told you as much that you have potential, why would you risk it by breaking the rules to rescue a guy who you've hated since before attending U.A.?"

"I didn't do it for Bakugou," said Clay, "I did it for my friends. They would've gone whether I went or not so I figured it'd be best to tag along and help out. Call it idiotic if you want, but it's my belief that I can't hardly call myself a hero if I turn my back on my friends."

"I figured you'd say that," said his father, "We did raise you to think about others, whether you'd planned on being a hero or not. And while I've not always seen eye to eye with my brother in law, I still trust him above most of the other teachers at U.A.. So what do you think honey, should we let him keep attending?"

"I hate to admit it, especially being his mother and all," his mother said after a moment, "But Clay's been able to make it through most of these incidents thanks to his training and his own resourcefulness. He's proven he can take care of himself when he needs to and maybe someday he'll be able to really put that to use helping others. Our boy is growing up and I can tell he's finally figured out what he wants to be. So I'll allow it, on the condition that you continue to teach him everything you know brother."

"That was my intention from the start," replied Aizawa, "You have my word, I'll train him and the rest of class 1A like my life depended on it."

"And Clay," said his mother as she and his father suddenly hugged him, "try not to be too rash from now on, but be the hero you want to be."

"I will Mom, Dad," said Clay as he hugged his parents back. Aizawa was about to leave before Clay's mother grabbed his arm and pulled him into the family embrace as well.

"And you, brother, try to visit a little more often," said Clay's mother, "I'm getting tired of you only showing up when you've got bad news."

"I'll, uh, see what I can do," replied 1A's homeroom teacher, clearly not the most comfortable with hugs.

U.A. Heights Alliance: A Couple of Days Later

'They built and organized all this in three days,' thought Slade as he stood with the rest of class 1A in front of the large U-shaped building. It was brown and white with the school's symbol on the front and numerous white columns on both sides of the entrance. It had four to five floors just based on what Slade could see from the outside and he imagined the inside was just as fancy. "I gotta admit," said Clay as they both looked around at the gathered members of their class, "I expected at least a couple people to be pulled out of the school. But it seems my Uncle and All Might are pretty smooth talkers."

"Well either way we're all together again," said Slade, "So what say we check out our new home."

 **And so they watched as the world changed before their eyes. But how many of these changes will be positive and how many will be negative? As they say, all will be revealed in time. Until then, I hope you all enjoyed this latest chapter and as always feel free to leave a comment or a review about what you liked/disliked or if you've got any neat ideas for future chapters. Also, to all guest reviewers, I can receive your reviews but I can't message any of you back unless you've favorited/or are following my story. Or if you message me first. So just know that I'm not refusing to answer any of your questions I just can't. Now back on topic, stop in next time as class 1A has their very own room reveals. 'Til then.**


	49. The Power of Interior Decoration

**The Power of Interior Decoration**

Heights Alliance: U.A. Dorms

"It's good to see Class 1A is whole again," said Aizawa who was standing in front of all the students to welcome them to the dorms.

"I almost can't believe everyone's still here," said Sero with a mixture of happiness and relief.

"It took me forever to convince my parents," said Hagakure with a heavy sigh.

"That's pretty understandable though," said Jirou as she twirled one of her jacks around her finger.

"You were directly affected by that poison gas," said Ojiro, "And Jirou got a slight concussion in that whole mess, so it's a relief to see that you're both okay."

"It's thanks to the teachers that we're allowed to be here at all," said Tsuyu as she put a hand to her chin, "It made me sad when I watched the press conference. I was afraid we'd lose them." The class all agreed with that whether they said it out loud or not.

"It's a surprise to me as well," said Aizawa, "But I suppose we all have different circumstances. Now I will explain the dorms, but before that there's a few items we need to go over. First, our current focus will be to obtain your provisional licenses, like originally planned at the training camp."

'In all the excitement I'd completely forgotten about that,' thought Slade as he rubbed his chin in thought.

"The next item is this," said Aizawa, "Kirishima, Todoroki, Iida, Yaoyorozu, Midoriya, Slade and Clay. You seven went out on your own in an attempt to rescue Bakugou that night." A number of the students almost flinched at this statement. "And judging by the class's reaction it seems most of you were aware of it to some degree, so this is what I have to say on the matter. Aside from Bakugou, Jirou and Hagakure, I wanted to expel all of you who went on the rescue and also those who knew and didn't stop you from going. Whatever the reason you still betrayed the trust of the school and in order to regain that trust you will need to act properly and follow all procedures from here on out."

A stunned silence fell over the class at their teacher's statement, any semblance of a happy mood now gone. "Now it's time for me to show you around inside, so let's try to act a little excited," said Aizawa as he turned and headed inside. 'Oh we're just bursting with energy after that stirring speech,' thought Clay sarcastically as he looked around at his classmate's dejected faces. Then something a bit unexpected happened. Bakugou grabbed Kaminari and drug him behind the bushes near the entrance to the street.

A burst of electricity followed this before Kaminari reemerged with his trademark dumb face telling everyone he'd fried his brain again. This had the following effect of getting a laugh out of quite a few of the students, Jirou especially. "What did you just do Bakugou?" questioned Sero upon seeing their friend's stupefied state. The explosive blond didn't answer as he pulled out several bills and handed them to Kirishima.

"Did you just rob Kaminari," Clay couldn't help but ask. Kirishima had the same question.

"No it's my own," replied Bakugou angrily, "I heard you spent a lot on some night vision goggles. Even I might feel bad if you're having to scrape by because of me so take it." Kirishima didn't get a chance to answer as the explosion quirk user shoved the money into his hands before walking off towards the dorms.

"So he does have an emotion besides endless anger or silent fuming," commented Slade.

"Maybe, but let's not try group hugs just yet," said Clay as he was patting Jirou's back. She'd quickly found it hard to breath from laughing so much. "You gonna be okay there?"

"Yeah," said Jirou after a moment as she finally managed to stop laughing for a moment, "It just feels like forever since I had something to laugh at."

"That's probably my fault," said Clay as he rubbed the back of his head, "If I'd reacted just a bit quicker then-."

"You can stop right there Clay," said Jirou as she crossed her arms. "Sure, I took a bad hit and went unconscious for a couple of days. But if it hadn't been for you I might've wound up poisoned or blown to bits, heck, you got half-fried protecting the both of us. So I don't want to hear you berating yourself for not trying hard enough. Nearly everyone got hurt in one way or the other because the situation just sucked that badly."

"The same goes for you Slade," said Momo suddenly, "I know you blame yourself for the injury I sustained but you shouldn't. Each and every one of us did the best we could in that situation and we still got caught off guard. I don't think anyone here is throwing the blame on someone else for what happened at the camp."

"So let's just be happy we're all back together and go see our new home!" exclaimed Uraraka. Clay, Slade and Midoriya had no argument for this as they proceeded in with everyone else.

The inside of the dorms were even more spacious and fancy than any of them expected. The common area was massive with sofas and assorted chairs, plus a combination of green carpeting and hardwood floors. "Each building of the dorms has one full class in it," explained their teacher, "Girls live on the right while boys live on the left. The first floor of the dorms is the common area for everyone to do their laundry, eat food and take baths. And by the way, the baths are separated by gender."

Mineta immediately deflated at this as his pervy dreams were once again shattered. Meanwhile, everyone else was admiring their new living space. Uraraka fainted because it was a practical mansion to her. "Sheesh," said Clay, "are we moving into a dorm or an upscale hotel because this is way nicer than I expected."

"I just hope all the doorways are tall enough," commented Slade as he admired the large courtyard in the back.

"The second floor is where the rooms start," Aizawa continued his explanation, "four on each floor divided by gender. In order to accommodate a class this size there are a total of five floors so that everyone gets their own room. The rooms are all spacious with amenities that include AC, toilets, fridges and closets."

"And a balcony," noted Midoriya as they were checking through the rooms.

"So the rooms are basically the size of some of the closets back home," Said Momo with a hand to her chin.

"We're living in mansions!" exclaimed Uraraka as she feinted yet again.

"One last thing," said Aizawa as he held up a map of the buildings, "You've all been assigned your rooms and the belongings you sent ahead have already arrived. So take your time today to get unpacked and settled in. We'll discuss the continuing curriculum of the school tomorrow, so you're all dismissed for now." The class responded instinctively with the usual 'yes sir' before everyone dispersed to set up their rooms.

That Night At the Dorms

"Man I'm beat," said Kirishima as he collapsed on the couch with the rest of the boys from class 1A, minus Bakugou.

"So I guess we're all done unpacking then," said Kaminari with a thumbs up, "I'll be honest, the whole reason these dorms are here kinda sucks. But at the same time this whole living together arrangement is exciting."

"I believe it is an exercise to help us learn cooperation and to be better disciplined," said Iida as he moved his arms in his usual robotic fashion.

"Just once could you not compare something to hero training," remarked Clay as he leaned back in his own spot on the sofa, "This whole living arrangement is a security precaution so we might as well make the best of it."

"It's the best security precaution I've ever been a part of," commented Slade as he put his hands behind his head in a contented manner. Any other conversation between the boys was cut short by the arrival of most of the girls.

"You boys all finished unpacking," questioned Mina happily as she approached. For whatever reason, several of the students had decided to wear parts of their gym uniforms with their night clothes, making it look like most of them had just gotten out of class. Even Slade had on his gym pants with a large black sleeveless night shirt. In fact, Clay seemed to be the only one wearing just a grey night shirt and a pair of long blue cargo shorts.

"Well the girls and I were talking it over and," Mina started to say before Hagakure finished for her.

"We just came up with a great idea for everyone!" said the invisible girl happily.

"Do we need cards or something?" Questioned Kirishima with a raised eyebrow.

"A ROOM PRESENTATION CONTEST!" exclaimed Mina and Hagakure at the same time.

"I for one feel that's probably a terrible," but before Clay could even finish the girls were already heading to the first room on the floor, "Idea."

"Hey Midoriya," said Slade, "Isn't your room the first one on the next floor."

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH, YOU'RE RIGHT!" yelled Midoriya, clearly freaking out about other people actually seeing his room as he rushed up the stairs after the girls. But like this little contest, there was no preventing the girls from getting to his room.

"Woah, everything's All Might!" exclaimed Uraraka, "It's like the room of an Otaku!"

"I just really admire him," said Midoriya as he leaned on his desk trying to hide how red his face was getting.

"To put it simply," said Slade, "There are fans of All Might and there's Midoriya, 'the' All Might fanboy that stands above all others."

"I don't think that's helping Slade," said Midoriya as his face got even redder.

"Well I guess this game's officially started," noted Sero as they all looked around the room.

"Well at least we all get to have an equal share in the embarrassment this evening," said Clay as they moved onto the next room, Tokoyami's. The raven-headed student did his best to act in his usual stoic manner while blocking the door to his room, but it wasn't enough as Mina and Hagakure managed to push him aside and enter his room. He could only tremble in embarrassment afterwards as everyone viewed the pitch black atmosphere that was his living space.

"It's so dark," said just about everyone as they viewed a number of trinkets around the black lighted room such as horns on the wall, various creepy necklaces and even a replica of a black-bladed medieval sword.

"I had no idea boys were into this sort of thing," said Mina, mostly thinking out loud.

"Get out," said Tokoyami as he continued to fume in the most emotional display anyone had ever seen him do.

"I was simply unaware there was a hot topic in Japan," commented Clay, "Or it's best customer."

"GET OUT!" Tokoyami exclaimed again as they moved onto the next room, Aoyama's. Needless to say, the contrast couldn't have been more apparent as where the last one had been fairly dark, this room was so brightly lit that a few of them regretted not bringing sunglasses. The room also had more mirrors than a person should probably be allowed to have and a very polished suit of armor in the corner.

"This room isn't simply bright mon amie," said Aoyama as he performed another one of his overly dramatic poses, "this is what you'd call dazz-."

"It's pretty much what I expected," said Hagakure as her, the rest of the girls present and even a few of the boys exited the room almost as quickly as they had entered.

"The disco ball was a nice touch at least," commented Slade, "Too bad he's probably never even heard of the word disco."

"But this is still pretty fun, whose room is the last one on this floor?" Questioned Uraraka. A question she and all the other girls immediately regretted as Mineta poked his head out of his room.

"Come on in," said the grape-headed student in what must've been the creepiest manner possible, "I've got something amazing to sh-SLAM!" Fortunately, Slade was one step ahead of him as he quickly slammed the door closed on the little pervert's arm.

"I think we've seen all the rooms down here," said Slade, "May as well head to the third floor." The rest of the class couldn't agree quickly enough as they moved onto the next room, Ojiro's. As it turned out, his room had pretty much nothing new added to it or the furniture, meaning the only thing anyone really had to say about it was that it was 'normal.' After that was Iida's room which had the addition of several bookshelves all filled to the brim with books on varying school subjects, as well as some extra shelves with a lot of replacement eyeglasses. Uraraka was more than happy to swipe a pair for some reason.

Kaminari's room came after that and it was filled with all kinds of little trinkets, hats, a leopard printed bed cover and apparently anything else the electric quirk user could get his hands on. Despite his best efforts to convince them otherwise, the girls went ahead and labeled his room as gaudy. Next on the list was Koda's room which was basically only decorated with some green designs. But the girls loved it because the room was also equipped with the amenities for its second occupant, a white and fluffy bunny.

"That's hardly fair having a pet," complained Kaminari as they stepped out of Koda's room, "how can we compete with that?"

"I just hate feeling like my room's lacking flair," commented Ojiro with a slightly downcast face.

"This whole situation has been nothing but embarrassing for us," said Tokoyami.

"It's hardly fair is what it is," said Mineta as he came walking up hiding his bruised arm behind his back, "This is a room presentation contest so 'everyone' should have to show off their rooms which means not only the boys but the girls as well! Only then can we decide who has the best taste in interior decoration!" The girls seemed to contemplate these words for a few moments while a number of the boys got even more competitive after hearing them.

"Hmm, sounds pretty good to me," said Mina happily as she clapped her hands together, "We'll see everyone's room and then crown the room king."

"You sure that's a good idea," Clay whispered to Mina, "I'm not against it, per se, but the fact that grapefruit's the one who suggested it kinda makes me question his motives."

"Oh it'll be fine Clay," replied Mina, "He does have a point. It's not fair if we're just looking at the boy's rooms."

"Don't say I didn't warn you," Clay whispered back before walking off with the rest of the class to the next room, Kirishima's. Like the room's occupant, it was designed to exude manliness with posters of tidal waves and fires covered in motivational kanji along with his curtain that resembled hot rod flames.

"It's fine if you girls don't quite understand this manliness," said Kirishima with a confident smirk.

"I think this is one grade above the room I'd least want a boyfriend to have," commented Hagakure.

"It's not all bad," said Clay as he unleashed a vicious roundhouse kick on the punching bag hanging by the wall, which was stopped by Slade catching it, "I got something like this in my own room."

"Let me at it!" exclaimed Uraraka as she slammed her own fist into the punching bag with a surprising amount of force, "I love it! It's so hot and stuffy!"

"See, they get it," said Kirishima with a thumbs up. The rest of the girls merely shook their heads while the remaining guys had a look that said 'are you kidding me?' Moving on from there they arrived at Shoji's room which had the following: A desk and a mattress with the necessary sheets to sleep on.

"I had no idea you were a minimalist Shoji," observed Todoroki, these being his first words in what seemed like forever.

"Well I've never really felt the need to get a lot of things," said Shoji. 'Ironic considering you've got four extra arms,' thought Clay, 'I'd think you'd at least have several pairs of gloves.' The next room after that was Sero's, which surprisingly had not only a hammock but an Asian aesthetic look for the entire room including little figurines and a privacy screen.

"Wow, I had no idea you liked this sort of design," commented Jirou as Uraraka and Mina looked over the room excitedly.

"What can I say," replied Sero with a smug look, "expect the unexpected from a guy like me."

"Well this'll make my room underwhelming by comparison," said Clay, who happened to be next. His room wasn't overly decorated with a compliment of a few posters of people like his favorite hero snipe and an American spider hero. His ceiling was decorated with a rather convincing depiction of the sky on a partly cloudy day. It also had a couple of crates that held a mix of comic book and manga sorted by issue.

"You're a bigger nerd than I thought Clay," noted Mina as she looked at one of the comic books, "So this is what they read in America."

"Just a couple things I brought in from the states," replied Clay with a shrug.

"You weren't kidding about the training dummy," said Kirishima who socked the person-shaped punching bag.

"I just want to know one thing," said Jirou as she pointed to the corner next to the balcony, "does that keyboard work?" the cloud user had to stop himself from smirking as he approached the electric keyboard and sat on the small bench in front of it.

"To be perfectly honest I haven't had the chance to test it yet," said Clay before switching it on and running his fingers across the keys in a classic jazz piano style. He then proceeded to play a quick solo on it that he'd memorized while in America. "Yep, seems fine to me so who's up next?" He didn't get an immediate answer as all but four people in the room were currently speechless. "Oh yeah, I guess only a few people in here actually know I do jazz piano as a hobby, well it's getting late so we'd best head to the next room."

Everyone else decided not to question it as they moved on to Slade's room. His room was also filled with books on academic subjects, mostly physics-based as well as his own collection of comics and manga. "I never would've guessed you were into this sort of thing," said Hagakure as she looked at a figure of a hero in a robotic suit.

"I prefer reading about heroes who triumph through the use of science," explained Slade, "And I get the occasional idea for a fighting move from some of them. At the same time I also like to point it out when the science is all wrong."

"You should hear his lecture on how the laws of physics are ignored in the Steel Man comics," Said Clay, "It'll make your head spin."

"It's true though," said Momo, "the speed at which Steel Man flies should technically be tearing apart whole towns."

"Well we know one person who's secretly reading it," replied Clay with a quirked eyebrow. The creation quirk user's face immediately flushed red when she realized she'd blurted that statement out loud.

"Uh, no I mean I just happened to overhear you two discussing it from time to time," she said while fidgeting uncomfortably, "Uh, which room is next this evening?"

"I'm pretty sure it was Todoroki's," said Hagakure as she and everyone else began exiting the room. Momo breathed a sigh of relief that all eyes were off of her, but she still shot an annoyed look at Clay. The cloud user simply turned his head while stifling his own laughter before walking out of the room with everyone else. Fortunately for Momo, her little moment of embarrassment was completely forgotten the moment they laid eyes on the fire/ice user's room.

"It looks like a room in a traditional Japanese house!" exclaimed Sero. It even had an old style sliding door and tatami matting on the floor. "Did yours come differently?"

"I can't sleep on regular flooring because we have tatami at my house," explained Todoroki.

"But how did you manage a complete remodel in just a day?!" exclaimed Mineta.

"I worked very hard," was Todoroki's simple response to that question.

"You worked very hard helping out the interior decorator you hired for this room," quipped Slade as they moved on to the last of the boy's rooms, Sato's. It wasn't terribly exciting, but whose would be after Todoroki's, in fact it's only real distinguishing feature was a place in the corner filled with baking implements and a microwave oven.

"Oh no I forgot," said Sato as he opened the oven to reveal a chiffon cake that he'd apparently been baking. "It didn't take me long to unpack so I thought I'd make one for all of us. I haven't got any whip cream for it but you guys are still welcome to try it." That was all the invitation the girls needed as they practically rushed the bowl to pull out their own pieces of the cake.

"It tastes delicious," said Momo, "You have a wonderful hobby Sato, any chance you could make something to go with my tea next time?"

"Oh it's nothing," said Sato as he rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, "buying sweets is expensive so I do this as part of my quirk training."

"Well keep it up," said Mina, "Because this is some good stuff you've got here!" Everyone else agreed, though Clay was fairly certain this would go under 'bribing the judges' in a real competition. Now with Sato's room out of the way it was finally time to start looking at the girl's rooms.

"Are we sure this is a good idea," questioned Jirou, "I mean my room's a bit embarrassing." 'And I really only wanted to show it to my close friends.'

"You're just saying that because your room's first," said Mina as they entered the punk rock girl's room, "We all agreed that everyone had to show their room, so in we go." Jirou wanted to protest but couldn't think of anything to say, leaving her to sigh in defeat as everyone marveled at the living space that was her room. Its distinguishing feature was the checkerboard design on both the ceiling and floor while a rather large poster that said 'Deep Dope' was on her right side wall. The room was also filled with numerous instruments including a pair of guitars, drums, her own keyboard and a large amp for the guitars. The rest of the room's space was dedicated to racks with CDs of numerous albums of music.

"Can you play all of these instruments?" Questioned Uraraka excitedly as she looked over the guitars.

"I can at least play the basics on most of them," said Jirou as she pressed her jacks together, a habit of hers whenever she was feeling embarrassed or unsure.

"Mind if I give this keyboard a try some time?" Asked Clay as he ran his hand over the electronic instrument, "I've heard good things about this brand."

"Umm, yeah sure," Jirou answered hastily, "Just remember to ask first okay."

"You got it," said Clay as he moved to exit the room. Everyone else moved to do so as well, but Kaminari and Aoyama just had to make one last crack about the room being unladylike, a comment which got them both stung by Jirou's earphone jacks. The room after hers was Hagakure's, which simply put, was bathed in pink decoration and stuffed animals. It also took Mineta no time at all to find where she kept her undergarments.

"Sero could you help me wrap something up real quick," said Slade. Mineta was quickly mummified before they went onto the next room, Mina's. Much like Hagakure's, her room was also decorated with pink but of a darker shade mixed with black. It also had a healthy compliment of extra pillows, a coat rack with assorted hats and jackets and a number of items wrapped in fuzzy pink decoration.

"Isn't it just the cutest?!" Exclaimed Mina happily, not at all caring about the fact that a large number of people were looking around her room.

"It's certainly you," commented Ojiro, who honestly felt a little dirty looking around a girl's room. After that was Uraraka's room which didn't have much added to it save for a small flat-screen TV, a fan and for some reason a small cactus as decoration. Then there came the last room, Momo's. They'd planned to look at Tsuyu's as well, but according to Uraraka the frog quirk girl wasn't feeling well. Despite that, Clay still felt like they were being watched as they passed by her room.

"I'll be honest," said Momo, "My calculations for my room were a bit off when I was moving my belongings in." Everyone quickly saw what she meant by this when they realized that her entire bed took up half of her room. It also wasn't a regular bed either but one of those large four poster beds that was decorated with hand carved wood posts with curtains that could be closed for privacy. Slade was also certain the sheets were worth a pretty penny as well.

"Where did you even find a bed this size?!" Questioned an amazed Kaminari.

"It's actually the bed I use at home," replied Momo with a sigh, "But I didn't think the room would be as small as this." 'Given how huge your room is I suppose you wouldn't,' thought Clay, 'But I guess that's how it is being the innocent rich girl.'

The Common Area: A Few Minutes Later

"Alright, has everyone cast their vote?!" Asked Mina as she held a ballad box above her head, "Remember no voting for your room." The pink-skinned girl then proceeded to produce a slip of paper that had all the votes tallied on it. "The winner with a total of five votes for the first Room King competition, without including Tsuyu or Bakugou, is RIKIDO SATO!"

"U-uh me," said Sato as he pointed to himself, not entirely sure if he heard right.

"Well it was voted on by all the girls," explained Mina, "And your chiffon cake was absolutely delicious!"

"But what does that have to do with my roo-," Sato started to question before he was rushed by both Mineta and Kaminari, both of whom were yelling about aspiring heroes not using bribery. Sato of course denied that was his intention but he was happy that he won all the same. It was a pretty comedic scene truthfully.

"If that's all," said Todoroki as he turned to leave, "I'll be going to bed now."

"Actually could you wait just a little longer," asked Uraraka, "And Midoriya, Kirishima, Clay, Momo, Slade, Iida? Do you think you could all spare a couple of minutes as well?" The fact that this was everyone who went off to save Bakugou didn't escape a few of them, but in the end everyone either agreed or at least shrugged and went along with whatever was going on as she led them out to the front of the dorms. It was night out but the area had plenty of illumination thanks to a number of lampposts scattered around the area.

"So why exactly are we gathering out h-," Kirishima finally decided to ask until he saw Tsuyu standing on the lawn. While he figured it wasn't the most important thing, Clay was still surprised to see his classmate in a casual outfit that included a blue short-sleeved shirt and jean shorts.

"Tsuyu wanted to tell you all something," explained Uraraka as she stepped back so the frog girl could speak.

"Well," Tsuyu began, "As you all know, I speak whatever comes to mind. But there are moments where I haven't the slightest idea what to say. I'm sure you all remember what I said back at the hospital."

"We do," said Midoriya, his voice relatively neutral, containing no real anger but a hint of sadness.

"That day, I said some painful things after hardening my heart," Tsuyu said as tears started to form in her eyes. Uraraka put a reassuring hand on her back as she continued. "I'd thought it'd be enough to stop you once you calmed down, but it turns out you went anyway. Ever since I heard about it I've been filled with nothing but regret and disappointment, with no idea what to say. Because of that, I didn't feel like I had any right to have fun talking with everyone."

"You shouldn't feel that way Tsuyu," said Clay as he stepped forward, "If anything I should be apologizing to you, and a third of the class honestly. Whether I agreed with you or not I had no right to take my anger out on you. Truthfully, you've got more right to talk and laugh with the rest of the class than I do."

"And there's no need to blame yourself for us still going," added Slade, "We were dead set on it, even if it was an idiotic thing to do. It's likely no one short of the U.A. staff would've stopped us from going."

"I see that now," said Tsuyu as she wiped some more tears from her eyes before suddenly moving forward and hugging Clay, "I just wanted to tell you all of this so we could have fun together again."

"It isn't just Tsuyu that feels this way either," said Uraraka, "The whole rest of the class feels this way. That's why we did this 'Room King' competition. We just, I mean, we should all work hard so that we can laugh together again as friends!" The gravity girl gave a thumbs up then as she tried to prevent tears from forming in her own eyes.

"Oh I'm so sorry Tsuyu!" Said Kirishima as he finally broke down in tears before giving his classmate a much needed hug. Iida and Momo were quick to follow. Todoroki expressed his own apologies, but as he was about to walk away, he was quickly stopped by Slade's hand on his shoulder. He also put a hand on Midoriya's shoulder as the stern look on his face told them the density shifter wouldn't take no for an answer as he cocked his head towards the others.

Todoroki sighed before nodding as he and Midoriya moved to take part in the group hug, even if they didn't feel like they deserved it. 'I hadn't realized,' Clay thought. 'With everything changing and moving so quickly recently, I'd almost forgotten that we need to enjoy ourselves from time to time. We're all back together now and even if it's not entirely the same, we can at least get back to acting like friends again. Friends that help to make each other better as we all try to reach our goal of being heroes.'

 **It seems school life can finally return to normal for our heroes. Or at least as normal as it gets at U.A.. Now it seems everyone is ready to move forward and face the next challenge! Hello everyone, hope you enjoyed this latest chapter as we get ready to move into the license exam arc. In the meantime, feel free to leave a comment or review about what you liked/disliked or if you've got a neat idea for future chapters. Be sure to stop in next time as Class 1A begins to work on special moves! 'Til then.**


	50. What's In an Ultimate Move

**What's In an Ultimate Move**

U.A.: Room of Class 1A

'This is going to take some getting used to,' was the thought on not only Clay's mind but the minds of a number of the students of class 1A. While they had recently been to a training camp where they woke up somewhere besides their own beds at home that was a temporary circumstance. But the dorms were their home now which meant they'd be waking up in a different bed, staring at a different ceiling every day for the rest of the school year and maybe even the remainder of their time at U.A.. It was a strange feeling, but it had its merits such as getting to sleep in a little longer due it being only a five minute walk to the U.A. campus from the dorms.

Of course it also meant getting used to the fact that they were no longer by themselves either, a lesson quickly learned by Slade after Iida caught him roaming the halls in the early morning in nothing but his boxers. Clay and Midoriya had to explain that it was a habit of the density shifter during the summer as he liked to feel the breeze in the early morning to keep himself cool. That and a few other incidents made the morning relatively interesting before they all managed to get breakfast, gather their school supplies and set off for the campus. After that, it was business as usual once they got to their class.

"Alright," said Aizawa as class began, "as mentioned yesterday our focus at this time will be on obtaining provisional licenses. Now the first thing you need to understand is the importance of these licenses. Hero licenses bring with them the responsibility of people's lives, which means the exams for them are tremendously difficult. Even the exams for the provisional licenses have a failure rate of fifty percent each year. So starting today, you will all be working on at least two ultimate moves."

The end of their homeroom teacher's statement was met with the sound of the classroom door sliding open as Ectoplasm, Cementoss and Midnight all walked in. "Ultimate moves!" exclaimed a good number of the students, "It's like a normal school thing but also awesome!"

"Indeed," said Ectoplasm as he began an explanation, "as the term implies, 'ultimate moves' are attacks or maneuvers that will grant you an almost certain victory when employed. What's more it is also a unique move you ingrain within yourself that cannot be copied by others."

"As you've all no doubt come to learn to one degree or another," Cementoss continued for Ectoplasm with his finger raised, "battle is about seeing what you're proficient in and how much you're able to force it on your opponent."

"These moves will also represent you," Midnight added, "It's rare for a pro hero to not have an ultimate move these days, so you'd best think carefully about what kind of move you want to use."

"We'll be starting immediately," said Aizawa, "so everyone change into your costumes and head to gym gamma so we can begin." Everyone responded with the usual 'yes sir' before vacating the classroom.

Gym Gamma: A Short Time Later

The gym itself was a massive open space with numerous windows on the upper part of the building. Cementoss explained that it was also known as the 'Training Dinning Land' or TDL for short. 'I don't know where they came up with that name,' thought Clay, 'but Disney Land this place ain't.' "For those of you wondering why there doesn't appear to be any equipment," said Cementoss as he put his hands on the ground and created a miniature model of an obstacle course, "It is because this area is meant to be manipulated into various shapes and obstacles. It was my own personal idea to create a training area that could have terrain and other necessities prepared specifically for each student to maximize the focus of their training. That is also where the 'dining' part of the name comes from."

"Might I ask a question sensei?!" said Iida as his hand shot up in the air. "What purpose does having ultimate moves serve for the provisional license exam?! Please tell me the reason for this!"

"It'd be best if I told you everything in order," said Aizawa, "As you've all learned, a hero's job is to rescue and protect people from danger such as crime, accidents, natural and man-made disasters. The licensing exam looks at how well you're able to accomplish that. There are many aspects which are judged including your ability to move, gather information, communicate, fight, and lead others. A different test is used every year but with the same overlying goal."

"One of the most important aspects examined is your ability to fight," said Midnight as she stepped forward to pick up for Aizawa, "If you are fully prepared then there is nothing to worry about and your future as a hero is relatively secure. Having an ultimate move will largely affect whether or not you're able to pass."

"As a hero one must be able to act consistently," said Cementoss, "you cannot allow circumstances to influence your effectiveness on the front lines."

"That being said," Ectoplasm joined in, "An ultimate move doesn't need to be an attack. Iida's reciproburst is a good example as it is not so much an attack but a burst of speed that can present a credible threat in more than one way." The engine quirk user was more than ecstatic to hear this and even with his helmet on, Clay was certain everyone could tell he was making a happy face.

"So an ultimate move can be as simple as something that gives us an advantage," Sato thought out loud.

"Exactly," said Midnight with a wink, "something that makes you feel that you can win when you use it."

"The quirk training you did at the camp was part of the process for creating ultimate moves," said Aizawa, "But since it was cancelled we'll need to make up for lost time. So until the next semester begins in ten days, you'll all be developing your quirks and creating your ultimate moves. In short, intensive training." Cementoss emphasized this point by creating several areas of cement pillars while Ectoplasm released his clones to stand at the ready. "You'll also need to see about improving your costumes to better work with your abilities during this time."

"I'll be expecting a 'plus ultra' attitude out of all of you. So speak up now, are you all ready?!"

"Yes sir," everyone answered back excitedly before splitting up to head to a respective spot in the gym. Because of their familiarity with each other's styles, Clay and Slade took up a couple of spots near each other. The cloud user had developed his own ultimate move, grasping thunder, back at the sports festival but his friend hadn't really thought much about it. Fortunately for them and the rest of the class, Ectoplasm's clones not only provided targets but also advice as well.

"You've gotten your Aikido moves down pretty well," noted Ectoplasm's clone as it stood back up from one of Slade's throws, "But don't be afraid to show off a bit and try some moves of your own. What's a move you've always wanted to use?"

"Well I suppose there is one," Slade answered before leaping into the air with a dramatic spin before impacting at high density. 'Leave it to him to get brilliant with simplicity,' thought Clay as he reshaped his clouds a bit.

"Your current ultimate move is impressive," Ectoplasm's clone stated, "but it appears to lack some of the speed of your other attacks. Have you considered a nonlethal version of your humming stratos attack?"

"Now that you mention it," replied Clay as he finished creating his desired shape, "There is this one thing I've been working on." He then proceeded to fire off his attack, destroying Ectoplasm's clone in a series of high speed blows.

"Not bad," said another Ectoplasm clone, "Now let's see how it does against a moving target." 'This is gonna get repetitive very fast,' Clay, and likely the rest of the class, quickly realized.

U.A. Development Studio

As expected, the day dragged on a bit but it was still fairly productive for most. Well for everyone but Midoriya who'd been trying to figure out a way to use his quirk without potentially screwing up his arms for good. 'If he busts them up again like he did fighting that Muscular guy, that's it, no more working arms,' thought Clay. On the upside, the class was given permission to have their costumes modified by the support students at the development studio, which meant that maybe the One for All user could get something that would greatly lessen the impact on his body. Though in Clay's opinion there was another way that didn't even involve a costume modification.

"So what's your plan for an upgrade," questioned Slade, breaking Clay out of his thoughts as the two of them walked down one of the school's many hallways.

"Oh I got one or two ideas," replied Clay with his hands behind his head, "but first things first I need to find out if it's even possible within the time we've got."

"Well best to keep it simplistic for now," Said Slade, "I've got what I hope is an easy request, but it'll definitely be a game changer if all the specs come out the way I want 'em too."

"Let me guess," said Clay, "It has something to do with propelling you, and no doubt you'll be able to tell me all the physics that go into it."

"At this point 'you' should be able to tell me all of the physics that'll go into it," said Slade, "Even if you suck at the math I know you can do the science."

"Hmmm, that's fair," said Clay before noticing that Midoriya was already standing by the door of the development studio. "Yo Midoriya, you just now getting here too?"

"Huh, oh hey guys," said the green-haired student, "Yeah I was just thinking of how I should explain my request for my costume. Also, I'm admittedly a little nervous going in there after the story you guys told at the sports festival."

"Oh that," said Slade, "Power Loader usually keeps a pretty good handle on Hatsume. But if you're still worried a good way to tell if something is about to happen would be to-."

"Hey it's Deku!" said the excited voice of Uraraka as she and Iida came walking down the hall from the other direction. But as she was about to say more, Clay heard a small engine noise that seemed to be very quickly rising in pitch. "Are you here to get improvements on your costume as well?"

"Midoriya don't stand in front of the do-!" But his warning came too late as the door to the development studio was blasted open by some kind of explosion, covering the whole front of the doorway in a smoke cloud.

"For goodness sake," said the voice of Power Loader as he stepped into the doorway, wearing only his signature yellow helmet, gloves, pants and boots, "You don't have to test every device past its limits."

"As Thomas Edison once said, 'Even if what I made doesn't work the way I planned that doesn't mean it was a waste of time-."

"Now's not the time to be bringing that up," said Power Loader with more than a hint of annoyance in his voice.

"And I'm also certain Thomas Edison took proper safety precautions in his experiments," added Slade as he crossed his arms with his own look of mild disapproval. Even if he wasn't an inventor he still disliked someone clearly disregarding proper scientific testing procedure.

"You alive down there Midoriya?" asked Clay, slightly concerned that his friend hadn't said much of anything since the explosion. Though once the smoke cleared he saw why. The blast had actually flung Hatsume right outside the studio and onto the One for all user who, upon regaining his senses, realized he had a pretty good view down the girl's grey tank top. As one would expect, Midoriya was on the verge of fainting from physical contact with a girl. Though less expected was Uraraka's shocked, and potentially jealous, face.

"Anyway," Said Hatsume as she stood up, "sorry about the mishap hero course students. Sorry I've already forgotten all your names."

"I-I'm Izuku M-midoriya," said the green-haired student, who was still red as a tomato.

"I'm Tenya Iida!" exclaimed the engine quirk student with his right hand chopping the air like crazy, "I'm the person you turned into an infomercial at the sports festival!" Uraraka didn't give her name as she was apparently still concerned about Midoriya's mental state. Clay and Slade just shrugged, figuring it didn't matter at the moment.

"So I see," she said before suddenly turning to head back into the development studio, "well I need to get back to working on my babies."

"No problem," said Clay, "We were just dropping by to see if Power Loader could help us out in some costume improvements."

"Costume improvements you say!" Repeated Hatsume as she was suddenly right back in their personal space, once again making Midoriya extremely nervous. "Now that sounds intriguing."

"You'd best behave yourself Hatsume," said Power Loader, "You can come and go to the studio as you please now because of the dorm system. But I can ban you from here if you go wild with your inventions again." This left Hatsume relatively speechless as the digging hero turned to the rest of the students. "Anyway, Eraser Head already gave me the specifics about you developing your ultimate moves, so come on in and we'll see what we can do."

They entered the studio then, finding that it greatly resembled a professional workshop with numerous tools hanging on the walls as well as work benches, a corner with computers for data entry, a table with blue prints on it and an area where all the apparent inventions were stored. "I'll need to see the instructions for all your costumes," said Power Loader as he held out his gloved hand, "It should have come in the case you store it in. Thanks to my license for hero equipment I can tinker with them and simply report minor changes to the design company. Though we'll need to fill out an application for any major changes and leave the work to the design company. Then, if the costume passes all the governmental checks, it'll come back here."

"If you're worried about how long it will take your costume to arrive, don't be. We work with some of the best agencies around and the modified costumes are usually returned after an average of three days."

"Well I was hoping for something that could lessen the strain on my arms and ligaments," said Midoriya, "Or at least I'd like to know if that's possible."

"Ah yes, you use your fists and fingers mainly," said Power Loader as he pulled up the costume schematics on the computer, "we should be able to come up with something pretty quickly with some light tinkering."

"Oh that's great news," said Uraraka as she pumped her fist in the air, happy that her friend had a way where he wouldn't injure himself.

"Yeah about that," said Clay as he turned to his friend, "how often do you use your-." But his question wasn't being heard at the moment as Midoriya had tensed up again. The reason again being Hatsume's inability to respect one's personal space as she proceeded to feel up the One for All user's body.

"W-what are you doing?!" exclaimed Uraraka who once again had a rather jealous look on her face.

"I'm examining his body of course," replied Hatsume as her hands continued to feel around his muscles.

"Hey now, you gotta buy him a drink first," said Slade, who was apparently one of only two people amused by this situation.

"Alright, you're much better built than you look," said Hatsume with a smile, "So why don't you try this." In another moment, Midoriya found himself in some type of grey, robotic suit with a large backpack unit that covered all but his head. "This is baby 49, my high tech powered suit. It can read muscle contractions and support movements."

"Speaking from my extensive sci fi knowledge on power armor," said Clay, "Won't that also make his movements extra pronounced so even small motions will-?"

"START!" exclaimed Hatsume with her trademark smile. The suit responded to her command as it suddenly began turning at the waist.

"Wow, it's actually moving on its own," said Midoriya, until he noticed that it was still turning "Wait, it won't stop! I can't bend that far, OUCH MY BACK!"

"Stop now," said Hatsume as she deactivated the suit with a switch in her hand, "It looks like I made a bit of an error in the operational limits programming. Sorry about that." 'You don't look sorry in the least,' thought Slade as he noted her still carefree expression while helping Uraraka get their friend out of the suit to check his back. Iida tried taking this opportunity to whisper his request to Power Loader about a device to help the cooling unit in his legs. But Hatsume's ears were apparently as sharp as her quirk-enhanced eyes because she picked up on his request immediately and stuck a large pair of red gauntlets with exhaust tubes on his arms.

"This is baby number 36," explained Hatsume as everyone else discreetly backed away, "an electric booster I designed to cool objects when they give off heat! Isn't it cute?!" 'That device looks like it's designed to give off heat, not cool it.' Thought Slade, who was proven right in the next moment as Hatsume activated the booster against Iida's many protests. The gauntlets fired off like rockets and sent Iida flying into the ceiling. He wasn't able to come down until she finally deactivated the boosters.

"My quirk is in my legs, my legs," groaned Iida as he was kneeling on the floor in pain.

"Yes, but have you ever thought that a good way to cool off your legs," Hatsume paused for effect, "Would be to run with your arms!"

"What kind of sense does that make?!" Everyone else either said or at least thought before Power Loader finally sent her off to work on other projects.

"Sorry about all that," said Power Loader, "her self-centeredness can be a real issue sometimes."

"Don't we all know it," said Clay, who'd managed to discreetly slip his request to the workshop hero without Hatsume noticing. He'd have to show Midoriya and the others how to do that in the future to avoid any potential accidents from the testing of her 'babies.'

"Despite her obvious faults, she's got the spark of a real inventor," said Power Loader as he indicated a pile of devices in the corner, "All of those are support items she's invented since she started school. She's tinkering even when we're not in session and as someone who's seen numerous students pass through the support course I can tell she's something special."

"She made all of those devices in only four months," Observed Midoriya, clearly in awe of her dedication.

"Albert Einstein once said 'Common Sense is the collection of prejudices one acquires by the age of eighteen,'" quoted Power Loader, "Hatsume is someone who doesn't fear failure, constantly thinking of new ideas that she wants to try out. In order for one to be an innovator you can't be bound by existing ideas."

"That's it!" said Midoriya as he turned to Iida suddenly, "Iida I need you to teach me!"

"W-wait a minute," said Iida as he held his hands up and backed away from his excited friend, "at least tell me what's going on first."

"I want you to show me some of your kicking maneuvers," explained Midoriya, "I think I finally figured out a way to save my arms while also getting better."

"I-I can certainly," said Iida, "But let's make some progress on our costumes first."

"Oh that's right," said Midoriya as he turned to Uraraka and the others, "You three haven't told Power Loader what you want yet."

"I took care of it for me and Slade," replied Clay, "So it's all you Uraraka."

"Well I don't need much at the moment," said Uraraka, "Just something to help control my nausea while using my quirk."

"You don't say," said Hatsume as she suddenly sprung up behind Uraraka holding a barrel of all things. "Why not try this little baby."

"Is that a fuse?" asked Slade as they all backed away from the excited inventor, "I'm pretty sure that's a fuse."

"Well you do need to pull it to help the item work," said Hatsume as black smoke shot out of the unknown invention.

"I vote we do this later," said Clay as they all turned and hightailed it. Unfortunately, they weren't quite fast enough as the barrel predictably exploded and threw them all out of the studio.

"Sorry again," Said Hatsume as she waved happily, the smile never once leaving her face.

U.A. Gym Gamma: Four Days Later

Just like the first day, everyone was continuing to work on their ultimate moves or at the very least working on their quirks. Most of them had made some steady progress over the last few days with a few even managing to create more than one ultimate move. All of the early costume modifications had arrived too, meaning some of them were also practicing with the new upgrades. Two such people were Clay and Slade with the cloud user checking to make sure the new additions functioned with his quirk while Slade was busy getting used to the two new pieces of equipment on his wrists.

"You sure those are all you're gonna need for now," questioned Clay as he adjusted a new nozzle on his costume. "I don't think anyone will give ya grief for getting a utility belt, least of all Hatsume."

"One step at a time," said Slade as he landed on one of the stone pillars, "You'll find the applications of even a simple device can be quite surprising."

"Well I suppose the modification I requested, though a little complex, is for a relatively simple purpose," said Clay as he produced some clouds from the specially made holes on his costume, "But if it works, oh the fun I'll have. By the way, has Midoriya gotten here yet?"

"His costume just arrived," explained Slade, "I'm sure he'll be along in a min-BOOOOM!" The sound of a powerful explosion interrupted the density quirk user as they looked over at the source of the noise. Unsurprisingly, it was Bakugou who'd fired a blast from one hand through a smaller opening he made with the fingers of his other hand. This simple move compressed the blast into a concentrated shot that managed to blow a hole in the cement slab he was training with. 'Great, he can fire armor-piercing rounds now,' thought Clay until he noticed that the slab was continuing to crack while Bakugou's back was turned.

"Hey heads up over there!" Clay yelled. But he was too late as a piece broke off the slab and fell towards the bottom of the gym where Eraser Head and a shriveled up All Might were standing. But just as it was about to land, a green blur shot forward. Midoriya had arrived and swung his foot out, smashing the concrete into pieces before landing.

'So that's his upgraded costume,' Slade noted as he looked at the addition of white gloves over his arms that went past his elbows and specially made black boots that went up to his knees. 'And he finally realized he has legs he can use. About $%#ing time.' Nevertheless it was impressive to see Midoriya's new fighting technique, Shoot style. Now they just hoped it would be enough for him to pass the upcoming exam. But as they soon learned, the students of class 1A weren't the only ones determined to pass.

 **And the licensing exam arc cannot get here fast enough! At least that's what I'm thinking while getting through these last couple of set up chapters. Despite the slower pace I hope everyone is still managing to enjoy this story so far and as always feel free to leave a comment or review about what you liked/disliked or if you've got any neat ideas for future chapters. Be sure to stop in next time as Class 1A meets its competition in the Provisional licensing exam. 'Til next time.**


	51. Begin: Stadium Free-For-All

**Begin: Stadium Free-For-All**

U.A. Heights Alliance Dorms

Time was running short before the provisional licensing exam would take place. Now was the time for everyone to be making the final tweaks and adjustments to their new equipment and their ultimate moves. Obviously the students, including Clay and Slade, were starting to feel a bit of the pressure as the fact dawned on them that they would be one of the few groups of first years attempting the exam. This meant that most of the other schools they'd be going up against would be sending second or third years, students that were bringing not just a semester but a couple years worth of training to throw at them. Add on to that the fact that they didn't know what kind of quirks they were going up against and it spelled a recipe for a pretty tough time.

But as Aizawa had said, there wasn't much point getting hung up on it. So they continued to train, or in the case of Clay and Slade, assist in training.

A Couple Days Prior

"I was starting to wonder if you'd ever take us up on our offer," said Clay as he, Slade and Midoriya stood outside of the dorms. "We've offered to teach you fighting moves before and you always turned us down. So why the sudden change of heart?"

"Well before I got my quirk I didn't want to be too much of a bother," replied Midoriya, "Looking back on it I guess I didn't see the point of regular hand to hand going up against someone like Kacchan with no quirk. Then after I got my quirk I was so focused on just learning to control it that I hardly considered hand to hand training."

"And you're considering it now because?" Slade questioned.

"Well I don't know a lot about kicking stuff," explained Midoriya, "Iida showed me the basics and I've got a move down, but I want to learn as much as I can and Clay's been trained in hand to hand by Aizawa sensei. Not to mention, you're an expert in physics Slade so you could tell me how to move to maximize my impact force." The two friends glanced at each other before nodding and turning back to Midoriya.

"Well better late than never," Clay stated, "So let's get started."

U.A. Heights Alliance: Now

"Front kick," instructed Clay as Midoriya lashed out into the empty night air with the green energy of his quirk crackling around his body. "Round house, switch legs to back kick, move low to sweep kick, now midlevel sidekick." His green-haired friend followed his instructions as best as he could, still finding switching to different legs a bit difficult. "Keep your stance stable and use a combination." Midoriya proceeded to use a spinning roundhouse before switching legs to a back kick then stepped forward for a final push kick.

"H-how was that," questioned Midoriya between breaths. Clay still found it amazing that he was able to keep going like this even after a long day of training at gym gamma. But then again it was amazing what a short break could do for someone.

"The basic technique is alright," Clay observed with a hand on his chin, "But your movements are still a bit big on the wind up. It's not much, but a fighter with some experience will see it coming if they pay attention."

"Even if it's only a fraction of a second," Slade continued his explanation, "It could mean the difference between an attack hitting or missing. Let's run it again, but with me as the target this time." Midoriya nodded as their practice session continued.

Dorm Living Area: Same Time

"Ah, so much hard work every day!" exclaimed Mina as she leaned back on the couch with a sigh. Seated around her were the rest of the girls from class 1A in varying summer or night clothes.

"I guess that's why they call it intensive training," remarked Hagakure, with a white tank top and black shorts being the only thing that allowed anyone to see the invisible girl.

"But with less than a week left, we have to make as much progress as we can," Momo, whose hair was currently down, pointed out.

"Speaking of which," said Hagakure, "Have you made any good progress on your ultimate move Yao-Momo?"

"I have an idea I want to use," said Momo with a sigh, "But my quirk can't currently keep up with the demand, so I've mainly been working on developing it further." Hagakure then turned to Tsuyu with the same question.

"I've perfected a move that will make me even more frog-like in style and execution," Said the frog quirk girl. "It's guaranteed to surprise at least a few people."

"And what about you Uraraka," asked Hagakure as she got to the next person down the line. But Uraraka didn't answer immediately. In fact, she seemed to be staring off into space until Tsuyu poked her.

"AAAAAAAH, what, huh," said the gravity girl as she looked around like she'd just been woken up.

"Are you feeling tired right now," questioned Tsuyu with an inquisitive look.

"Oh no, I'm feeling just fine right now," replied Uraraka as she tried to act pumped up, "Totally ready to go. At least that's what I'd like to say but, how best to explain it, my heart's been so stirred up recently. It's like-."

"LOVE!" exclaimed Mina excitedly. Uraraka was clearly taken aback by this statement as she started waving her arms frantically.

"Did you just say glove, or shove, dove maybe," the gravity girl said as she tried to act like she hadn't heard right, "What in the world are you talking about?" But a gossip girl like Mina wouldn't be deterred easily.

"So is it Iida or Midoriya," asked Mina with her trademark grin, "You hang around those guys a lot. Or maybe it's Clay, after all you did seem to freak out during the final exams when you were partnered with him."

"No it's not that, it's really not," said Uraraka as she covered her face with her hands. This had the unintended effect of activating her quirk and causing her to start floating around above her friend's heads. "I swear it's something else!"

"Come on, just tell us," Urged Hagakure, "Your secret will be safe with us."

"They do say confession is good for the soul," added Jirou, "so maybe you'll feel better if you just spit it out."

"But that's not it I swear," said Uraraka as she continued to float around like a spinning balloon above her classmate's heads, "I honestly don't know a thing about stuff like that."

"They say forcing an investigation isn't a good idea," Tsuyu pointed out.

"That is true," agreed Momo as she stood up, "We also have an early start tomorrow, so it would be best if we turned in for the night."

"No way!" Protested Mina, "We can't bring up romance and then just expect me to go to sleep! I need to at least hear a few more details or it'll keep me up all night!"

"Why don't you spill some of your secrets to us then Mina," said Tsuyu, "Is there anyone you like out of the boys in class? I notice you get along pretty well with Kirishima."

"Oh that," said Mina as she rubbed the back of her head with a more reserved smile, "I know him from way back, so I guess you could call him a childhood friend of sorts. Truthfully I've never really thought of him that way."

"It's true," Said Jirou, "she gives Kirishima the same friendly looks as she gives Kaminari, so nothing really platonic there."

"Oh, and how would you know," Questioned Hagakure with what most assumed were raised eyebrows on her invisible forehead, "Is it possible you know who she really likes?"

"W-what, no," said Jirou as she averted her gaze from everyone, hoping the red developing on her face wasn't easy to see, "I just happened to notice a few things, it doesn't mean I can read her mind or anything!"

"Alright that's enough," said Momo with a wave of her hand before she started back towards the elevator, "We need our rest if we're going to make it through tomorrow."

"Yeah," agreed Jirou, "We can talk about your obvious crush on Slade tomorrow Momo." Her friend's response to that was to suddenly rush up the stairs as she decided to forego the elevator. Everyone turned to look at the earphone jack girl with a questioning brow raised. "What, I was just messin' around with her. You don't really think-?"

"Let's just go to bed already," said Tsuyu, "I think that's enough headaches for one night." Everyone else nodded as they took the elevator or, in the case of Mina and Jirou, went up the stairs.

"Well I should've seen that coming," said Jirou as they entered their floor, "You owe me one by the way."

"I'm not sure I'd call it owing you one," Said Mina, "I mean sure I brought it up and I didn't expect it to get turned on me, but you got more embarrassed than I did."

"I wasn't that embarrassed," Jirou shot back, "I just thought they'd leave it at that and move on."

"Well our secret's safe for another day," said Mina with a sigh, "Blast that stupid Clay for being the kind of guy he is."

"Yeah, and we both owe him one now," added Jirou, "Now I can't make fun of you for liking him just because he saved you."

"Eh, maybe that's the reason and maybe it's not," said Mina as she stopped at her door, "Either way I still know who I like and that I won't lose easily."

"Well tomorrow's another day as they say," replied Jirou with a smirk, "And once this licensing stuff is over, it'll definitely be fair game." The two friends nodded in agreement before bidding each other good night.

National Dagoba Arena: Site of Licensing Exam

Before everyone knew it our training time was up and the day of the provisional licensing exam had arrived. In one seemingly too short bus ride later, they were all standing outside of the massive, stadium-style testing site. On first glance, most would've passed it off as a football or baseball stadium with a twisted, pointed roof. But this large area was one of three sites used for testing future heroes to see if they were ready to take the next step.

"Ah man, I'm starting to get a bit nervous," said Jirou as she clutched her costume case to her chest. Clay put a reassuring hand on her shoulder as Mineta also voiced his concerns about being able to get his license.

"It's not about whether you can or can't get it," said Aizawa as he turned to the rest of the class, "You go out there and earn it. If you can pass this test and get your provisional license then you'll go from being simple novice eggs to chicks, better known as semi-pro heroes. So go out there and do your best."

"We'll become chicks, awesome!" cheered Kaminari, though Slade felt he was missing the point somewhat.

"Then let's give it our usual call out," Kirishima started to say without noticing a rather tall student with a military-style cap walking up behind him. "PLUS-."

"ULTRA!" yelled the unknown student in a surprisingly energetic manner. It was then they noticed that three other students with the same style cap had also walked up. One was a purple-haired boy while another was a fairly attractive girl with long, dark-blond hair. The final student was also tall with a body completely covered in some kind of yellow fur.

"Inasa," said the purple-haired student, "you know better than to barge in on other people's huddles."

"Oh right," said the now named Inasa as he stood at attention, "I am so extraordinarily sorry!" As he said this, he managed to bow so low that his head actually hit the pavement.

"What's with this guy and his enthusiasm," questioned Kaminari as everyone else looked on in surprise or confusion.

"Aren't those the school uniforms of that famous school in western Japan," Jirou pointed out.

"It looks like Shiketsu high sent some of its students," said Bakugou, confirming everyone else's fears. The school had its own reputation with a hero program that rivaled even U.A.'s.

"I wanted to say it just once, Plus Ultra," explained Inasa, whose head was now bleeding as he stood up straight again, "You see I love U.A. and I'm honored to be going up against its students! I'm looking forward to competing with you all!"

"That's enough, let's get going," said the purple-haired student dismissively as the Shiketsu students turned and headed towards the stadium.

"You should all be careful around that guy," said Aizawa once Shiketsu was out of earshot, "That was Inasa Yoarashi. Last year he actually applied to U.A. and got the top score in those admitted through recommendations. For some reason afterwards, though, he turned down his acceptance."

"So you're saying he's just a first year," questioned Midoriya. He didn't need to mention the fact that being at the top of recommendations meant his abilities even exceeded Todoroki's.

"Well this just keeps getting better," said Slade as he held his case behind his shoulder, "But at least we know one guy we need to avoid."

"It's still weird though," said Sero, "why would a guy that claims to love U.A. just throw away his best chance at getting in?"

"He seems like a weird guy, so maybe it's not so surprising," said Mina.

"Weird or not, Slade's got the right idea," said Aizawa, "You need to keep your eyes open while he's on the field."

"Eraser Head, that's you over there isn't it!" said an excited female voice that Clay and Aizawa recognized, and shuddered at, immediately.

"Hey I think I'm gonna head off and get into cos-," but Clay was far too slow as he was suddenly hugged from behind by a green-haired woman wearing an orange bandana, a black sleeveless shirt, yellow gloved gauntlets, boots, and puffy, orange and green-striped shorts resembling a clown's. "Dammit."

"And you're here too Clay," said the woman with a huge smile, "I've seen you and Aizawa on TV and the internet while the sports festival was going on but it's been forever since I've seen you both in person."

"Hey not Auntie Joke," Clay greeted back while trying his best not to look nervous or annoyed, "How are you?"

"Oh no need to be like that," said Joke with a smile, "I just might be your Auntie one day, which reminds me!" The pro hero turned to their homeroom teacher, "Let's get married Eraser!"

"No," was Aizawa's extremely quick retort which wound up getting an unexpected laugh out of the woman. "It seems you're as difficult to talk to as ever Joke."

"I knew it!" exclaimed Midoriya as his fanboy side emerged once more, "She's the smile hero Ms. Joke! Her quirk outburst causes others near her to laugh uncontrollably! Every fight she's in is always crazy because of it!"

"Ain't just the fight's that are crazy when she's around," commented Clay off-handedly.

"If we do get married Eraser, we can make a wonderful family with never-ending laughter!" exclaimed Joke with a smile and a thumbs up. "And I already know your sister won't mind!"

"It all sounds like a living nightmare to me," Said Aizawa, eliciting yet another laughing fit from the smile hero.

"You all seem rather close," observed Tsuyu with a hand to her chin.

"Our agencies used to be near each other," explained Joke like she was telling some big secret, "It became a cycle of helping and being helped, making a mutual love bloom."

"It did not and you know it," Retorted Aizawa with practiced ease.

"And I've always loved how quick your retorts are," exclaimed Joke, "It's always worth it to tease you. And Clay, it still amazes me how much you've grown since the time you used to ride around our offices on your little clouds."

"Probably because I'm sixteen now," said Clay as he tried not to cringe at how Joke was ruffling his hair, "I was riding around the offices like that when I was eight!"

"And now you're such a handsome boy, you'll have to tell me all about your lady friends some time," said Joke, making Clay look away in irritated embarrassment.

"Since you're here, Joke, I can assume that means you brought your own students?" Aizawa said as more of a statement than a question.

"That's right, get over here and say hi everyone," instructed Joke as a group of students about as large as theirs approached. The uniforms they wore were relatively simple grey golf shirts and black pants, but that didn't stop them from carrying themselves with a certain bit of confidence.

"Oh it's U.A.," said a dark-haired student who seemed to be the leader of the group.

"It's them alright," said a blond girl whose hair was done up like fins on each side of her head, "I've seen them all over TV, they're amazing!"

"U.A., these are my second years of class 2 from Ketsubutsu academy," Joke said in introduction. "Try and get along with my students now!" The apparent leader of the students decided to take the initiative on this as he walked up and started grabbing everyone's hands in an overly friendly greeting.

"It's nice to meet you all, I'm Shindo," said the dark-haired boy as he went from one U.A. student to the next. "There's been problem after problem for your school this year so it must be tough. But despite that you're all still aiming to be heroes, how wonderful!"

"Please don't touch me," said Slade. Though Shindo didn't seem to notice as he continued.

"Great hearts of fortitude," Cheered Shindo, "It's my belief that that's what all heroes should possess from here on out!" 'Great,' thought Clay, 'a pretty boy type with a likely fake smile.' "And you clearly have such people here, like Bakugou the one at the heart of the Camino incident." Shindo attempted to shake Bakugou's hand then like he did everyone else's. "Your heart must be especially strong, I look forward to learning from you, so let's both do our best."

"You should drop the stupid act," said Bakugou as he pushed Shindo's hand away, "Your face doesn't match your words." This seemed to get a grin out of Shindo before Kirishima stepped in.

"Will you quit being rude Bakugou," said Kirishima as he turned back to Shindo, "Sorry about him, he's just tense."

"Oh it's no problem," said Shindo, "Just further proof of how strong his heart is."

"Hey, can I get your autograph Todoroki," asked the blond girl as she stepped forward, bouncing excitedly, "You were so incredible at the sports festival!" The dual quirk user simply looked at her with a bit of confusion.

"That's enough," said Aizawa with a clap of his hands, "everyone get changed and get over to the orientation before you're late." They all replied with an affirmative as class 1A got moving towards the stadium.

"I keep forgetting people actually know us outside of school," said Jirou with a soft smile.

"Yeah I guess we have gotten a lot of exposure thanks to U.A.," said Kaminari, "So I guess that makes us kinda famous."

"There's a severe downside to that," said Clay as they walked in, "I'm sure he has his reasons but I honestly can't believe Uncle hasn't at least mentioned it."

"What do you mean," inquired Jirou, "I thought being well-known was important for a pro."

"It has its merits," said Clay, "But it also means everyone knows who the biggest game in town is. Because everyone expects us to be the best there are two approaches that they'll probably use. One, they'll avoid us because they think we're too tough or, and this has often been the case, they'll work to take down the biggest threat first. In other words, we've got the biggest targets on our backs out of everyone here." 'Oh crap,' thought Jirou and Kaminari as they realized he was right. Class 1A was about to walk in to a war zone and they were high priority kills for everyone else.

Inside Dagoba Stadium

'They told me a good number of applicants took this exam,' thought Slade as he looked around at the massive crowd, 'but this is ridiculous.' The room itself was large and rectangular with a podium and a wide video monitor at the front. It was also filled from front to back and wall to wall with examinees of every shape and size, making it somewhat difficult to see the speaker or even move around much for that matter. "Alright," said the one in charge, a man in a suit with dirty blond hair who looked like he hadn't slept well all week, "Let's get this provisional license thing started. I'm Mera of the Heroes Public Safety Commission and my favorite kind of sleep is non-REM sleep."

'No kidding,' thought Clay as the man looked like he was about to fall asleep right then and there. "It's good to meet you all. I haven't gotten a lot of sleep because I've been so busy, and because we're understaffed! Anyway, I'll give you the orientation now." 'Why not get a well-rested guy to read this for you?' Pondered Clay.

"This provisional license thing currently has a total of 1,540 examinees, and you'll be competing in a free-for-all exercise. You see, some say our society is currently saturated with heroes and ever since the arrest of Stain, many have expressed doubts about the current system. But really, it's the ruthless story of our modern times, telling someone risking their lives to not expect some kind of reward. The main point is that whether it's for compensation or because of courage and loyalty, heroes should work hard together to help people and defeat villains."

"Of course the time between an incident occurring and being resolved is so short it'll make one sick. You all who are about to receive your provisional licenses will be throwing yourselves into those rapids. Any who can't keep up with the speed of things will likely have a difficult time. Which is why today you will be tested in a trial of speed."

The monitor above his head switched on then with the words '100 hundred people pass 1st test.' "This first hundred people to fulfill the testing requirements will be allowed to pass onto the next stage."

"That means less than ten percent of people will actually pass the first portion," noted Tsuyu, voicing the thought on the rest of class 1A's minds.

"Well so much has happened in the world recently, not to mention luck and what not," continued the spokesman as he pulled out an orange ball and a mechanical disk, "anyway, for the exam you'll be placing three of these targets on your body. They can go on any exposed area, so the soles of the feet and armpits are out. You will also have six balls which are required to hit the targets to make them light up. If all three of your targets are hit, you're out."

"Furthermore, the points will be awarded to the person who lights up your third target. In order to pass this part of the exam you must eliminate two people. Now that's it for the rules, so once we open we'll be passing out the targets and balls then the exam will begin one minute after that."

"Open," questioned Todoroki out loud. His question was answered a moment later as the room started shaking and the ceiling began opening. It was like a box being opened up all the way as all four walls also fell over, revealing that they were in fact already in the stadium. 'Geez, I wonder if they'd be less understaffed if they spent less money on this overdramatic bull $ #,' thought Clay as he looked at the surrounding area with everyone else.

"I'm certain you all have terrains that you do and don't do so well on," said the spokesman, "Use your quirks well and do the best you can." He was right about that as the entire stadium was filled with varying types of terrain from mountainous, to forested, to factory and even cityscape environments. Simply put, it was absolutely huge. "We arranged for the terrain to be announced like this, even though it was unnecessary, and it's also because of this that I didn't get much sleep. So hopefully this will go quick so that I can get some sleep."

'Yep, spent money on unnecessary bull $% ,' Clay thought as his suspicions were confirmed. But they had other concerns at the moment as they quickly attached the targets to their costumes and started heading out to the rocky, mountainous part of the field. "Everyone!" shouted Midoriya, surprisingly loud for someone of his timid nature, "We need to move as a group and not get separated!" Everyone else agreed, likely realizing just as he had that sticking together would afford them the best way to move safely, well almost everyone.

"As if," said Bakugou, predictably as he began walking off, "This isn't a field trip."

"Hey idiot hold up!" exclaimed Kirishima as he and Kaminari rushed after the explosion quirk user. Midoriya was about to protest as well until Slade put a hand on his shoulder.

"We can't waste our time trying to get him to cooperate," said Slade, "He's made his decision and if he fails because of it that's on him." His friend still looked uneasy about that, but another surprise grabbed his attention.

"I'm heading out as well," said Todoroki as he began walking away, "It's difficult for me to fight at full power in a large group."

"But Todoroki," said Midoriya, worried that the whole plan was already falling apart.

"Listen to Slade," said Mineta, surprisingly a voice of reason, "We don't have time so let's go." That seemed to be the last push Midoriya needed as he finally agreed and they began heading further into the testing area.

"So everyone remembers the heads up I gave them right," said Clay.

"In all honesty I suppose we should've known a little sooner," said Midoriya, "Thanks to the sports festival being broadcast worldwide, everyone not only knows our quirks but also our weaknesses and even the way we all fight. So once all the other schools group up the first thing they'll do is-." The sound of a blaring horn cut his sentence off as the first test began, and almost immediately they were faced with their first opponents, Ketsubutsu academy.

The second year class leapt out from behind a number of boulders and opened up with a massive volley of target balls aimed at U.A., and for a moment, things were tense. But everyone's training kicked in as they moved into different formations and utilized their quirks. Midoriya created an air pressure wave with his kick that knocked away the balls aimed at him while others like Uraraka and Iida used their quirks to evade the projectiles. Then there were those like Sero and Mineta who whipped their quirks around to bat away the target balls.

Then there were those who used their quirks and skills in conjunction to defend the rest of the class. Such was the case with Slade and Momo who used riot shields created by the latter to cover not only themselves but also Tsuyu and Hagakure. Lastly, Clay and Mina used a cloud cover and acid spray combo to defend against any possible direction the projectiles were coming from while Jirou stood in between them. They didn't need to keep this up for long as the attack died down as quickly as it had begun. 'That was, surprisingly underwhelming,' thought Clay as he surveyed the rest of the class.

Not a single ball had gotten through as the rest of the class stood ready for the next attack. Clay then directed his eyes to their opponents and noticed that one of them, a bald, blue-skinned student in a black jacket seemed to be doing something to augment projectiles in his hands. He then proceeded to toss them to another student in a black jumpsuit with a red scarf and a mane of black hair. "Heads up, here comes their next move," Clay said as the Ketsubutsu student tossed four balls that actually dove underground before heading in their direction.

"Everyone move back, I got this," said Jirou as she stepped forward and plugged her earphone jacks into some new oval-shaped devices on her glvoes. "Amplifier jack: Heartbeat Distortion!" She slammed her hands into the dirt, using the powerful sonic vibrations to blast several parts of the ground open in front of her, revealing the location of the target balls and even knocking a couple of their opponents off-balance.

Though impressive as the move was, it didn't stop the balls from flying towards their intended target. "Why are they coming for me?!" exclaimed Mineta as he waved his arms around frantically. Fortunately for him, Mina reacted by flinging out a wall of acid in a move she called acid veil, melting all but one of the balls, which Slade caught with a high density hand. "Thank you guys, that was too close!"

"It seems they've got quirks for hardening objects and trajectory," observed Slade as he tossed the ball over his shoulder, "That's gonna get old fast."

"Well why don't we do something about that," said Clay as he stepped forward.

"Wait, Clay you can't go out there alo-," Midoriya began to protest.

"They're playing it safe and looking for any weakness they can find, right," said Clay as he continued trekking forward, "We need to do the same, but also mess up any other plans they got going."

"But you're going out there alone," said Midoriya, "We need to stay together."

"My quirk is versatile and I've got the most mobility," replied Clay with a wave, "And besides you guys got my back. So look for any openings you can find and take 'em down." A number of concerned looks followed that statement, but no one else spoke up as Clay slowly picked up speed before breaking into a full on run. 'Alright, time to open the garage,' he thought as he propelled himself in the air with his clouds.

"Heads up guys, he's about to, DRIVE?!" Said Shindo as Clay's clouds took on the shape of a convertible car frame.

"Cloud vehicle formation!" Shouted Clay proudly, "Car variant!"

 **Whew, a lot to cover in this chapter but the licensing exam has at last begun! Now the next few chapters are gonna be a bit more action packed! Sorry about getting a little excited but I've been looking forward to writing these next few chapters for a while now, so heads up if the next few author notes seem a little more crazy than usual. In the meantime, I hope you all enjoyed this latest chapter and as always feel free to leave a comment or a review about what you liked/disliked or if you've got any neat ideas for future chapters. Be sure to stop in next time as Class 1A gets scattered across the stadium and must find a way to regroup amidst the chaos. 'Til then.**


	52. Class 1A Pursuit

**Class 1A Pursuit**

Dagoba Stadium

"Scatter!" yelled Shindo as Clay dove down with his car-shaped cloud. Expectedly, most of them managed to dive to the sides as the cloud user landed and started zooming around on Ketsubutsu's side of the field.

"That's right folks!" yelled Clay as he tried not to grin too much under his mask, "This model's known for being fast, reliable, and-," He sent the cloud up the wall of one of the rocky slopes with the 'wheels' side on the wall, "defying gravity!" Several more competitors from the rival school were forced to duck out of the way before the cloud user found himself on flat ground again. Unfortunately, this is where the road would end, literally. The ground underneath Clay suddenly collapsed as a pair of massive, metal jaws reached up and attempted to chomp down on him, cloud car and all.

'Now for surprise number two,' thought Clay as he flipped out of his construct and through the air surprisingly high. "Alright everyone, disperse his, huh?" Said Shindo as he watched the U.A. student back-flip two more times before suddenly coming to a stop, in midair, without a cloud in sight.

"No your eyes do not deceive you," said Clay with his arms held out wide, "No clouds on my feet and no clouds on my hands. This hero in training has learned how to fly!" He then rolled in the air to avoid a few target balls before soaring back down towards the ground. The red-scarfed Ketsubutsu student attempted to lock onto his trajectory, but found it incredibly difficult as Clay kept rolling and zigzagging in his descent until he landed on one of the larger rock pillars, doing a one-finger handstand.

"How do I do it you might ask? Maybe I've mastered some ancient martial arts secret," Clay leapt up to avoid a swipe from a fish-like opponent before wall-running down the side of the pillar he'd just been on. "Maybe I just have an uplifting personality," he jumped off the rock wall then and rocketed towards his target, the student who could set trajectories, "Or maybe I'm pumped up on love, trust, and KNUCKLE DUST!" The cloud user emphasized his last words with a nasty right cross to his target's face, causing him to lose his balance and roll back in between some of the cracks Jirou had created with her earlier attack. Clay then took to the skies again to avoid being surrounded as he picked out his next victim.

"How is he doing that without his clouds?" Questioned Midoriya as he watched one of his oldest friends indulge in something he rarely ever did, showing off.

"Oh he's using his clouds," said Slade with his arms crossed, "You just can't seem 'em because they're stored."

"Stored how exactly," questioned Uraraka with just as much curiosity as everyone else.

"He needed a way to wield more of his quirk," explained Slade, "So he had the support course, with some of Hatsume's trial and error, embed a number of storage pouches in his costume that he can fill with his clouds. But during training, he discovered that it offered another advantage he hadn't even considered initially. Now, so long as he's wearing his costume, Clay Cero can appear to fly without his clouds."

"And I'll bet he's laughing his head off at the fact that he kept this secret from us," Commented Kaminari.

"Yep, laughing like a hyena," confirmed Jirou as she held one of her jacks in the air to listen.

"In any case," said Slade as he stepped forward, "We can't let him have all the fun, so let's get in there!"

"I quite agree," said Tokoyami as he used his new move, Black Abyss, to cover his body with dark shadow and strike at a distance with a large shadowed hand. "Piercing Twilight Claw!" His attack was aimed at the blond-haired girl, Tatami, who managed to avoid both the hand and the ball it held, by pulling half of her body into itself like a turtle.

"Whew, that was close," said Tatami as she started to pull her upper body back out. That is until a hand clamped down on her head.

"Telescoping into yourself, interesting," said Slade as he held up one of the target balls, "But it does make it hard to see when you pull your head in." The density shifter then hit the target on Tatami's leg before yanking as hard as he could in an attempt to pull the rest of the student's body back out. But he was stopped as the blue-headed student from Ketsubutsu tackled her out of the way.

"Everyone pull back!" Ordered Shindo as he put his hands on the ground, "I'm using maximum force on this one. Tremoring Earth!" 'No you don't,' thought Clay as he flew towards the class leader. But just as he was about to reach him, the ground burst open all around Shindo, with the effects spreading out in every possible direction.

Clay's vision became greatly obscured as the mass of dust and debris shot him up into the air and sent him tumbling in an unknown direction. He was able to right himself eventually as he flew out of the dust cloud, but as he looked down he realized that the attack had blanketed nearly the entire section of the stadium in dirt and dust. ' #$%, I wasn't fast enough to stop him,' he thought with irritation, 'I'd hoped my little performance would've allowed the rest of the class some good openings, but I never thought one of them could actually alter the field itself.'

He decided it was best to be fully prepared, so he created a cloud scarf to cover the targets on his upper back and inner shoulders, while also forming slightly altered gauntlets and winged boots. 'I gotta find everyone else before Ketsubutsu does, but where to start looking?' Clay flew down towards the edge of the slowly clearing dust cloud, trying to spot any sort of movement he could. As luck would have it, he managed to spot Shoji's large frame as he moved in a group that included Momo, Tsuyu, and Jirou.

'That's a good start right there,' thought Clay as he flew towards their direction. They'd managed to make it out of the rocky area and into an area that resembled a factory district, meaning a number of pipes stood as obstacles in his way as he attempted to keep a low profile while flying. In retrospect, this might've been a mistake as the moment he crossed by an alleyway beneath another large number of pipes, a massive furry tendril shot out at him. The cloud user managed to duck it as the owner of said furry limb came flying out of the alley, reeling themselves up to a pipe that hung a fair distance into the air.

"So much for fighting in a group," said Clay as he looked up at the newcomer, who he noted was a mass of fur with a trademark military cap, "That Shiketsu high I see up there?"

"Indeed," said the yellow mass of fur, who he now saw had black pants on, as he tipped his hat, "I never properly introduced myself. I am Nagamasa Mora, second year student of Shiketsu high school."

"Clay Cero," replied the cloud wielder with an exaggerated bow, "first year in U.A.'s class 1A, Pleased to make your acquaintance. Now I imagine you aren't hanging up there because you want to talk to me, and since we're on the clock we'd best get to it."

"Good to see you understand the situation," remarked Mora as he extended the hair around both of his arms into tendrils and began whipping them at his prey. Clay countered by producing more clouds around himself in a circular formation. He dodged the first few attacks before adding blades and spinning the cloud ring at high speed to slice through the next couple of attacks. Mora continued his onslaught, regrowing the hair he'd lost from his tendrils each time Clay cut through them.

"As fun as this is," said Clay, "I haven't got all day!" He flew up towards his opponent, slicing through his hairy tendrils another couple of times before bringing the blade ring around to slice both tendrils near the root, allowing him to close the distance as he held a spiked fist up to where he assumed his opponent's face was. "Thanks to all that hair, finding your targets will take the whole day, so let's just call this one a draw for now. Or I can pummel you, your choice."

"For someone with a quirk that's effective at range, you do a lot of close range fighting," Observed Mora, "Fortunately for me, I was counting on that." Clay raised an eyebrow at that statement before noticing some movement above him. He hardly had time to form a protective layer of clouds before a mass of hair rained down and forced him back to the ground. "I realized two important facts about your fighting style watching the sports festival: First, your main strength is your mobility, allowing you to utilize a number of ranges when you fight. And second, you can't produce a terribly large amount of your clouds, forcing you to fight conservatively and leaving you vulnerable to being overwhelmed by a quirk that produces more."

Clay couldn't currently argue any of this as he was engulfed in the onslaught of hair. He'd been a bit careless and hadn't realized his opponent had been crisscrossing the hair in the pipes above him. 'So this is Shiketsu,' he thought, 'A pretty good strategy, and he managed to figure out that I like mobility when I fight. In fact he was right on almost all accounts, almost.' Clay began producing more of his clouds and started forming a very particular shape that stood out in his mind at the moment.

Outside the hair, Mora lowered himself slightly as he observed his handiwork. "This is the price of arrogance," he said as he held up one of his target balls, "It leads you to celebrating victory too early while blinding you to the possibility that others might be better than-." His speech was halted as a pair of large cloud spikes shot out of the sides of the hair prison he'd created. A few more followed after that until five massive blades were sticking out on all sides.

"I couldn't agree more," said Clay as he emerged from one of the cloud blades and began hovering upwards, "Arrogance makes you underestimate your opponents while denying your own vulnerabilities, for example." The cloud wielder shifted his hand, causing the blades to shift and reform until the cloud resembled some type of grinder. "You made the mistake of thinking this was a battle of quirk production, but not quite." The grinder began spinning then at high speed, causing Mora to jerk upwards as he was pulled towards the pipe, losing his hat in the process.

'Not good,' thought Mora as he started lengthening his hair even more, 'He's reeling me in. If I don't keep producing hair, he'll pull me through the pipes I wrapped my hair around!' "W-when could you produce something of that size?" Questioned Mora.

"For some time, even during the sports festival," explained Clay as he floated up, twirling Mora's hat on his hand, "You see it's true, my quirk does have something of a drawback if I produce too much, so I fight conservatively unless it's an emergency. But recent events have shown me that I need to take a little more risk, and that I'm capable of more than even I thought, such as this. Cumulus combat formation." A cloud appeared above Clay's head that took on the shape of a large sphere. "This little trick allows me a platform to launch all kinds of attacks as well as form quick defenses, but my personal favorite so far, is this."

The orb shifted in shape until it was a wall of hands, all of which clenched into fists, save for one which became a blade that launched out and cut Mora down from the pipes. "NORA!" yelled Clay as the first couple of fists impacted against their airborne target. "Nora, nora, nora, nora, nora, nora, nora, NORA!" The Shiketsu student was pummeled by blow after high speed blow, being practically juggled in the air by the onslaught until one final blow by all the fists sent him flying into the window of a nearby building, likely down for the count.

"Good grief," said Clay as he placed the Shiketsu hat on his head, "It looks like I still get a bit too enthusiastic using that attack. And once again, shouting Nora seems to be the best way to help me focus. Speaking of which, I need to get back to what I was doing." The cloud user turned and sped off once again in the direction he'd seen his classmates going. As for Mora, he decided he'd nap for a bit.

City Section of the Stadium

"He's got to be around here somewhere," said a student wearing a helmet with a v-shaped visor, the apparent leader of a group of five. "This alley is supposed to lead to a dead end."

"You do recall that density shifting guy can go through stuff, right," said a female student with antennae and an outfit designed to fit her wings through.

"He's only supposed to be able to do that for a short time," the leader pointed out, "There's a massive wall with who knows what behind it over here. Even if he faded into one of the buildings, I should be able to at least see his outline with my quirk."

"This wall's also too smooth for him to scale," observed a student with a gas mask, "Even at his lowest density, he'd have trouble leaping from one side to the other and even if he could, he shouldn't have been able to move up the wall so quickly before we turned the corner."

"Well then where the heck is he," said the leader, "We're running out of time and we can't spend it all chasing one guy, even if he's from U.A.." Before anyone could answer, the sound of something embedding into the wall above them rang out. It rang out again as they looked up to see a pair of cables that led to something quickly approaching their level.

"Well look no more!" declared Slade as he swung in at high density and slammed his feet into the ground. His high momentum and weight caused the ground to break apart before him as he dug a literal ditch out of the ground with his forward movement. This also knocked down four of his pursuers, with only the antennae girl managing to dodge due to her wings.

"You're wide open!" she yelled as she charged at him with a target ball in each hand. But Slade was quicker as he leapt up, using the cables from his wrist gauntlets to backflip in midair and kick his charging opponent downward. She couldn't correct herself in time and landed face first on the ground while Slade reeled in his cables and landed on top of her with just enough density to hold her down.

"You're relying too much on the sports festival footage," said Slade as he pulled out a target ball and quickly hit his pursuer's targets, eliminating her from the exam, "We've grown a fair bit since then and even had a few changes in fighting style, such as this." He fired off a cable from his left gauntlet and quickly scaled the dead end in front of him. "Next time plan for the unexpected!"

The now four person group attempted to give chase, but with their flyer down there was little they could do in the way of pursuit as the density shifter lowered his weight even more to slingshot onto a nearby building. 'There are too many groups going after U.A.,' mused Slade as he ran and leapt to the closest roof top, 'And if that last announcement was anything to go by, fifty four people have already been eliminated. I hate to admit it, but I'll have to make finding the rest of the class a secondary priority, especially now that I only need to eliminate one more person to pass.'

The decision was taken out of his hands entirely as he dodged out of the way of more target balls. The 1A student glanced up at the direction of the attacks and found four people all with flying quirks: one with batwings, another with bird wings, a third with some type of jet pack, and the final one with hovering abilities. They'd taken up formation above him, circling like vultures about to descend on road kill. 'It's about this moment I realize I still haven't come up with a full-proof way to battle flying opponents.'

The attack began then as the bat-winged student dove down with the other three following after him. They broke formation with the batwing one tossing another couple of target balls at Slade. But the U.A. student had already shifted his density lower, allowing him to dodge and even catch one of the balls which he promptly tossed back. His opponent knew how to fly, though, and rolled out of the way of the shot as the jetpack flyer charged in next with more target balls.

Slade rolled out of the way then used a back kick to ward off the opponent with bird wings. 'They're trying to keep me from fleeing this area,' surmised Slade as he analyzed his situation while dodging more attacks, 'In a normal fight, I could just up my density and take the hits at whatever angle they came from. But thanks to these targets I can lose without sustaining the slightest bit of physical damage. So how best to turn this situation to my advantage?' He took another look at the enemy formation, and came up with an idea.

He lowered his density and waited for the next onslaught as they attempted a pincer attack from the front and the back. Slade ran forward and leapt upwards just as his target attempted another throw and kicked off of his head. He then back flipped in midair and repeated the process against his other opponent, likely surprising him with how light of a blow it was. "High Density Elbow Drop!" Slade called out his attack move as he quickly raised his density and dropped like a small asteroid onto the roof, busting a massive hole in it.

His pursuers had to break off their next maneuver due to the large amount of dust and debris floating in the air. "Where is he?" Questioned the floating student as they all landed around the newly formed hole.

"Just give me a moment," said the bat winged student while straining his ears, readying to use echo location. But before he could, the hole expanded, collapsing under his feet as he fell into the buildings top floor. The impact of landing on the floor below left him dazed and more than a little confused as a large figure entered his blurry vision.

"I figured you were too smart to just follow me into the hole," said Slade as he planted his foot on his pursuer's chest, "But I also hoped you wouldn't just leave because I went through the roof. Looks like this gamble paid off." The density shifter then pulled out his own target ball and quickly eliminated his opponent by hitting all of his exposed targets.

"Blast it, where are you guys!" exclaimed the bat winged student as Slade took his foot off of him. He got his answer when all three of them fell through the hole behind Slade, their bodies bound by, cloud ropes?

"Hey Slade, you down here?" Called Clay as he dropped down from the cloud he'd been riding on. It was also this cloud that produced the ropes currently binding his three captives.

"Clay, how'd you find me?" Questioned the density shifter as he shook his friend's hand.

"Caught a glimpse of you elbow dropping the roof, thought you might need a hand," explained Clay, "though judging by the color of your targets, you've already passed."

"More than half of the slots for the exam have already been filled," said Slade, "At this point I figured there was no more time to find our classmates. If you wanna go look for 'em you can, but you'll be cutting it close if you don't get some targets soon."

"Yeah I kinda came to the same conclusion on that," said Clay as he used his clouds to guide some of the target balls to his captives, eliminating two of them before releasing them. "We're just gonna have to trust our friends now, but I don't think we need to worry. After all, we've been through worse than this little test." Clay's targets lit up then as a mechanical voice sounded, informing them to proceed out of the arena.

"Guess that's our cue to leave," said Slade, "But one quick question before we go. Is that cloud car of yours comfortable?" Clay put a hand to his chin in mock thought, his smirk hidden by the mask on his face. Shortly after that, a cloud-made car frame burst out of the window of the building they'd just been in as the two classmates yelled in excitement at the descent before pulling up to ride along the street. "By the way, nice Shiketsu hat. It makes you look like a heroic limo driver!"

"Yeah I kinda Nora nora'd the furry guy's ## into a building," explained Clay as he tipped the hat, "Still getting the hang of controlling the speed and force of that attack. I'll give the hat back next time I see 'em."

"Remind me again why that word helps you focus?" Questioned Slade as they turned a corner and proceeded further into the city section of the stadium.

"Well you see-hey isn't that Shoji and some of the girls over there?" Questioned Clay as he pointed several feet in front of them. Slade rolled his eyes, certain his friend was avoiding the question, but looked forward anyway. Sure enough, the large dupli-armed student was walking out of one of the larger buildings holding a bundle in his arms that they realized was Tsuyu. In front of him was Momo who was being supported by Jirou.

The group stopped suddenly when a student from another school wearing some kind of white pea coat style uniform with a skirt and pink bow stepped into view. A white beret covered her long brown hair, but didn't hide the anger on her face as she held up a large, red mechanical glove with some sort of electrified slingshot on top. Neither Clay nor Slade actually heard what she was saying, but one thing they did know is you don't point a weapon at their friends. This rule went double when you were standing in the middle of the street.

Needless to say, the girl didn't have any time to react before Clay rammed his cloud car into her side and sent her rolling down the street. "Given that you appear to be a projectile quirk user," said Slade as he indicated the blue glowing targets on his classmates, "Your eyes should be more than good enough to see that they've all passed. So try not to embarrass your school and yourself by attacking people who aren't even part of the exam anymore."

"Or I can run you over again," added Clay, "So ya know, no pressure or anything." The examinee still looked livid about the situation, but got up and retreated down an alley between another two buildings.

"It is a shame when people are sore losers to a fair victory," commented Slade as they turned their attention back to their classmates.

"Clay, Slade," said Jirou as she and the others approached, "I see you guys managed to pass too."

"Pretty much," said Clay, "And since we're all heading to the same place, could I interest any of you lovely ladies and your big friend in a ride?" Momo and Jirou shook their heads at his cheesy tone, but agreed nonetheless.

"Momo's a little shaky from overuse of her quirk and Tsuyu's still recovering from hibernation," explained Jirou, "Any chance your cloud car there can accommodate for that?" Slade hopped out upon hearing that Momo needed help while Clay produced more clouds from his sleeve, increasing and shifting the shape of the car frame until it had a middle and backseat.

"Will this work?" Questioned Clay as he tipped the hat on his head. His answer was a few nods as Shoji, still holding onto a blanketed Tsuyu sat in the back while Slade sat in the middle with Momo and Jirou took up the passenger seat. "Next stop, the anteroom." He stomped his foot, more for the fun of it than anything, as the cloud construct began moving a fair bit faster than walking pace.

"I appreciate the ride and all," said Jirou as she leaned back in the 'seat' of the cloud car, "But are you sure you're not straining your quirk carrying all of us?"

"It's a little more complicated than that," explained Clay, "As everyone learned during the quirk assessment test at the start of the year, my control over my clouds lessens with distance. When it comes to carrying stuff, the closer I am to my clouds the more weight I can bear. But at the same time, the more weight there is and the more complex the formation I'm using to carry something, the more concentration I need."

"So if you have to hold up a lot of weight, you couldn't fight quite as well?" Questioned Jirou, making sure she was understanding everything correctly.

"Pretty much," affirmed Clay, "In this case, all I'm doing is holding up a few people and steering my car-shaped cloud, which is why I'm even able to explain this right now. But if I were moving a lot of people, that'd be about all I could do because it would take everything I had just to maintain the cloud's shape under the weight."

"Well thanks for the ride then, and you don't mind if I kick my feet up on the dash do you?" said Jirou.

"Just so long as you don't leave any crumbs on the seat," Replied Clay jokingly, "It's only a rental anyway." Jirou snorted at this as they turned another corner and headed towards the edge of the stadium. Clay directed the car towards a large doorway that was labeled 'anteroom' where a number of other examinees were already gathering.

"This looks like our stop," said Slade as they pulled up next to the entrance. Everyone stood up as Clay dissolved the cloud and removed the mask part of his costume.

"I'm fine now Shoji," Said Tsuyu as she dropped from his arms, "thank you for carrying me, ribbit."

"Of course," said Shoji from one of his dupli-arms as he made a slight bow with his head.

"I hope everyone else is doing well," said Momo with a hint of worry in her voice, "We barely managed to pass against our opponents."

"We'll just have to believe that everyone will pull through," said Slade as they entered the anteroom, "After all, this is only part one of the exam. So whether the rest of the class passes or not we'd best get some rest. Because I got a feeling that part two, is gonna be a lot worse." Oh how right he was.

 **The first part of the exam is cleared, but how many people in 1A have made it through? And if this is only part one, what will the second half be like? Hello everyone, hope you all enjoyed this latest chapter and as always feel free to leave a comment or review about what you liked/disliked or if you've got any neat ideas for future chapters. Be sure to stop in next time as the entire stadium is turned into a disaster zone.**


	53. Second Scenario: Disaster Challenge

**Second Scenario: Disaster Challenge**

Dagoba Stadium: Anteroom

"The current number of people that have passed thus far is seventy," said the voice of Mera over the intercom as Clay, Slade, Momo, Jirou, Tsuyu and Shoji entered the waiting room for those who had already passed, "The test will end after another thirty have passed." 'It's getting down to the wire,' thought Clay as he looked around the spacious area, noting a few couches and chairs for those who wanted to sit down as well as a table of refreshments. The back wall sported a massive screen which was broadcasting the progress of the exam. But one thing he didn't see was the rest of class 1A, at least not at first.

Fortunately, he wasn't the only pair of eyes searching the room. "Todoroki," Said Momo as the ice/fire user emerged from the crowd of other examinees, "It's good to see you passed as well."

"I guess we shouldn't really have expected anything less," said Tsuyu, who was now over the effects of hibernating from earlier in the exam.

"Have you seen anyone else since you got here?" Questioned Jirou as she looked around the room.

"It was just me here until the rest of you showed up," replied Todoroki, "What's happening out there? Everyone was together when I left."

"We were, but then we were split up when Shindo used his quirk to break apart the ground," explained Momo, "It was just the four of us until we ran into Clay and Slade on the way here."

"Well there's still a chance the others can pass," Slade pointed out, "But until then, there's nothing else we can do but wait for the exam to end." Everyone else agreed with a nod, not wanting to discuss what to do should the worst happen and some of the class not make it.

"Whatever the case," said Clay as he pointed towards the refreshments table, "I'm gonna be over there if anyone needs me." He walked away from the group then with a quick wave and moved towards the drink section.

"He doesn't seem too worried about the current situation," Observed Tsuyu as she turned her attention back to the group.

"Clay just needs to replenish his fluids," Slade explained, "Even if he didn't go completely all out with his quirk, it's likely phase two of the exam is gonna be stressful. So every little bit of rest we get now is beneficial."

"I need to replenish some lipids for my quirk as well," said Momo, "And those dumplings do look good."

"Screw it, I'm thirsty too, let's all just go," Said Jirou as she followed after Clay.

"Will you be coming as well?" Shoji questioned Todoroki from one of his dupli-arms.

"Maybe in a bit," replied Todoroki, "Though I am curious. Where did Clay get that hat?" As it turned out, Jirou and the others had the same question.

"So that Chewbacca cosplayer tried to drown you in a waterfall of hair. That sounds more than a little unpleasant," Jirou summed up as she took a sip of her own drink.

"It was itchy and suffocating if nothing else," replied Clay, "I was just barely able to encase myself in a shell cloud before I was overwhelmed. Also, off topic, I didn't know you knew about star wars."

"I, uh, studied movie music a bit when I was a kid," Said Jirou as her jacks tapped together in slight embarrassment, "That Williams guy came up with a few good pieces. A-anyway, you clearly got out of the hair trap, but did you eliminate that Mora guy?"

"All of his targets were covered by his hair," Said Clay, "So the best I could do was reel him in with my clouds then pummel him until he went flying. Knocked his hat off in the process and now it's mine until I see the guy again. You don't think he'll be mad do you?"

"His own trap was turned against him in a way he didn't expect," said Slade, "If he's smart, he'll be reevaluating his own strategies for future encounters. So I say don't even worry about it until you find out whether or not the guy has passed."

"Speaking of which, look who just walked in the door," said Tsuyu as she indicated a group of six people from Class 1A. It was Midoriya, Uraraka, Sero, Kaminari, Kirishima and Bakugou.

"Everyone, over here!" Exclaimed a relieved Momo as she waved the group over, "I'm so happy to see that you all made it!"

"Yeah we're all good here," said Kaminari with a salute, "Safe and sound. But it looks like we weren't quite as fast as you guys."

"We actually just finished ourselves," Shoji clarified, "Todoroki was the first one here."

"I thought Bakugou would beat us here," said Jirou, "But it makes sense he'd be a little later with you tagging along Kaminari."

"Oh come on!" exclaimed Kaminari, "I actually saved both of those guys!"

"So in total, we've got thirteen people from our class here," Slade counted.

"That's going to be a problem," said Midoriya with a hand to his chin, "the last announcement said only eighteen spots were remaining, and there are still nine of us left." As if the situation didn't sound dire enough, another announcement came over the intercom stating that eight people had just passed.

"Now only ten spots remain," said a dismayed Momo as she watched the screen with more than a hint of worry.

"Jeez, if only there was something we could do to help," said a frustrated Jirou.

"But there isn't," Said Clay as he downed another beverage, "All we can do now is wait, hope and pray that the rest of the class can pull together. If they can't, it only means today wasn't the day for all of us." Jirou wanted to say something about his statement until she noticed the trembling grip he had on his drink cup. The announcements sounded again at that moment, and kept sounding as a countdown began.

"Amazing!" said the speaker as he began counting down the number of spots left, "U.A. has managed to pull together at the final minutes with some incredible combos!" The footage on the screen changed then to show the field where Class 1A had been separated and it was a sight to behold. Koda had called forth a mass of pigeons to confuse their enemies while Mineta used his purple balls to create a sticky minefield.

The other students like Ojiro and Tokoyami were able to take advantage of these distractions and land the needed hits to pass the exam. Hagakure also used her new super move to create a blinding light to distract even more opponents and create openings for her and Sato. Mina was moving like a dancer through the field, using her acid veil to melt any target balls thrown at her before leaping up and tagging a wolf-like student who attempted to charge her. And finally, with only two spots remaining, Iida and Aoyama managed to tag two other restrained students, marking the end of the exam as all 100 spots were now filled.

"Oh that was amazing!" cheered Sero along with the rest of the class.

"We did it!" Exclaimed Uraraka, "We all managed to pass the first part of the exam!" The rest of Class 1A either cheered or sighed in relief at how close it had been. Clay let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding.

"So you were just as worried as us then?" said Jirou with a slight smirk.

"I wouldn't say worried," said Clay as he took a big swig from another cup, "I just wish everyone else hadn't cut it so close. I mean seriously, passing by the last two spots."

"It certainly made it dramatic if nothing else," added Slade as he crossed his arms with a smile on his face.

"Yeah, but try telling that to Aizawa sensei," said Clay, "He's only gonna have one thing to say about our performance for this part of the exam."

"More training," Slade and Clay both said at the same time. Momo and Jirou simply sighed at the implication as the rest of Class 1A finally showed up. But their little reunion was short-lived as yet another announcement called for their attention.

"To all one hundred examinees who passed the first stage of the exam," said Mera, "please direct your attention to the screen." All of the gathered students did as instructed and looked at the live feed of the stadium. Multiple detonations sounded as all of the buildings in the simulated city and factory district were rocked by explosions that toppled them over and reduced them to rubble. Similar explosions caused numerous rockslides in the mountain areas. In hardly a minute, the entire field looked like a disaster area, which appeared to be the point. "For the second and final portion of the exam, you will all be performing a rescue exercise as bystanders in what is now a disaster zone."

"We're gonna be, bysliders?" questioned Kaminari and Mineta with confused looks on their faces.

"Not 'sliders'," said Hagakure as she held up a floating glove, "By-'standers'. People who just happen to be at the scene of something. We went over this in class not long ago."

"It can also mean ordinary citizens as well," added Momo as she continued to watch the screen with everyone.

"In this scenario," said the speaker, "It will be assumed that you have all received your provisional licenses. This test will allow us to gauge how capable you are of carrying out proper rescue procedures."

"Are those, people, staggering around in there?" Questioned Shoji as he used one of his arms to make an eyestalk. Sure enough, as the gathered examinees looked closer, a mass of children and elderly, all seemingly injured to one degree or another, emerged from hiding within the ruined area.

"The ones scoring you have all undergone training to become professional people-who-need-rescue. Currently such people are in high demand and answer to the 'Help Us Company' more commonly known as the 'H.U.C.' for short," explained Mera.

"Professional rescuees?" Questioned Sero with a look of slight confusion.

"I guess there are all kinds of jobs out in the world," said Tsuyu with a finger to her chin.

"It only makes sense though," said Ojiro, "it's a necessary industry for a world full of heroes and heroes in training."

"Yeah, but how much training do you really need to sit there and yell 'help,'" Clay wondered aloud as the explanation of the exam continued.

"The H.U.C have dispersed their people throughout the disaster site and disguised themselves as injured civilians," continued the announcer, "As you undertake the rescue operation, they will be scoring you on a points system. If you still have points at or above the benchmark when time is up then you will have passed the exam. The test will be starting in fifteen minutes, so take care of all necessary business now."

'Something about this disaster zone seems familiar,' thought Slade. Clearly Iida and Midoriya were thinking the same thing as they waved over their two friends. "This whole scenario," said Midoriya, "You don't think it's based on what happened at Kamino Ward, do you?"

"It's got the same feeling of destruction to it at the very least," Clay admitted.

"Back then we were focused on getting Bakugou away from the villains," said Iida, "We also wanted to stay out of the way of the other pros. I learned later that numerous casualties occurred at the site of All Might and All for One's battle."

"And we'll be facing possible calamities like that in the future," said Midoriya, "So we'll need to do our absolute best on this exam." His three friends nodded in agreement as Iida walked off to check his gear one last time before the test began. Midoriya was about to do the same before he was suddenly confronted by the surprisingly angry faces of Kaminari and Mineta.

"Midoriya!" The both of them yelled before the grape-headed student began angrily questioning him. "Just what in the world were you up to during that last test you bastard!"

"While we were all out there working our hardest you were messing around!" Added Kaminari before Slade put the both of them in a high density headlock under each arm.

"Now hold up, what's with you two all of a sudden," questioned Slade as Mineta struggled against his grip with his feet flailing in the air before pointing towards the black body-suit wearing girl from Shiketsu.

"What in the world were you up to with that person over there," questioned the purple-headed student. The group's antics were unfortunately noticed by the Shiketsu girl who waved at Midoriya with a happy smile on her face. "You see! That's the type of greeting a man and woman only exchange once they've reached a certain point in their relationship!"

"I can't believe how badly I misjudged you!" exclaimed Kaminari as he too struggled against Slade's strong grip, "You were actually a smooth-talking, curly-haired playboy all along!"

"Uh, Midoriya," said Clay as he pointed a thumb at his two raging classmates, "Any idea what these two perverts are talking about?"

"I guess Sero told them about my fight with her," explained Izuku, "But it's not what you think. You see her quirk allowed her to change her appearance, but when she changed back she was-."

"So you did see her naked after all didn't you?!" Mineta said as more of an accusation than a question.

"I mean I wasn't trying too," said a nervous Midoriya as he waved his hands in denial, "she attacked me after we got separated. I had no idea what was going on."

"Then why is she still waving at you?!" Questioned an irritated Kaminari, "How far did you two get in your little 'fight?'"

"I told you that isn't what happened," Midoriya said before turning to Clay, "You guys believe me right? Nothing happened between us."

"I believe we may as well ask them ourselves," said Clay as he pointed towards the Shiketsu students, "Because they're coming this way now." Indeed, all but one of the students they'd met at the entrance to the stadium were approaching Bakugou and Kirishima, who happened to be right in front of them at the moment.

"Bakugou was it," asked Mora who looked slightly more ridiculous without his hat. "Did you happen to encounter Shishikura, our purple-haired classmate?"

"Yeah I did," replied Bakugou, "I knocked him out too."

"I though as much," said Mora as he raised a hand, "I imagine he acted somewhat rudely as well. You see he has a bad tendency to impose his own values on other people. Being that you're all relatively famous, he probably couldn't help himself and went off on his own. But I would prefer to build a good relationship with U.A. if possible, so I would like to apologize for his behavior. Also, if you wouldn't mind," Mora turned his attention to Clay.

"Oh right," said Clay as he pulled the hat off of his head and presented it to its rightful owner, "Your school makes some comfy stuff. I forgot I was wearing it for a moment."

"Given how you outfought me, it was more than appropriate that you kept my hat," said Mora, "So I'll need to work harder on this half of the exam to prove I'm still worthy to wear it." Having said all he wanted to say, the Shiketsu students turned and walked back to their own little corner, but not before Todoroki stopped Inasa to ask a question. Clay didn't hear what all was said but it was obvious that the apparently cheery Shiketsu student had some sort of beef with their classmate.

"See you later," said the girl in the body suit with a wave at Midoriya.

"U-uh right," stuttered the green-haired student. Unfortunately, this was quickly taken the wrong way by Kaminari and Mineta.

"What do you mean 'right' huh?" Questioned a once again angry Kaminari and Mineta as Slade had to resume his headlock on the both of them.

"You blasted sexual maniac," exclaimed Mineta, who was tearing up for some reason. 'Says the pint-sized pervert,' thought Clay with a sigh as Midoriya had to again explain that it wasn't anything like they were thinking.

"Oh dear, could you both stop acting so disgraceful," chastised Momo with a hand on her hip. "We still have another test to complete, so stay focused." The two class clowns groaned in disappointment and tried to protest. But any further argument, or discussion for that matter, was cut short by the sound of a ringing bell.

"Villains have begun a large scale attack on the city!" Announced Mera, "It is occurring in all areas of 'insert city name here.' A number of injuries have occurred due to multiple collapsing buildings. Furthermore, heavily damaged roads have delayed the first group of rescue workers. Until they arrive, rescue efforts shall be led by any heroes currently within the area, so it is up to you to save as many lives as you can." As he spoke, the anteroom began opening up in a similar manner to the entrance.

'There's shock and awe and then there's just showing out,' thought Clay with annoyance as he pulled his goggles down and placed his mask back on, 'But either way, it's time to get serious.' The horn sounded then, signaling the beginning of the final test as all the examinees rushed out towards the disaster area. As before, Class 1A stuck together as a group, except for Bakugou, Kirishima and Kaminari who all veered off towards the more mountainous section of the stadium.

"We should head towards the more urban areas first," suggested Iida as everyone yelled in agreement before turning towards the area, conveyed by either their legs or their quirks. As class 1A entered the disaster site it was plain to see the video feed hadn't done it justice. Rubble was everywhere and some debris still had chances of falling. A number of the buildings seemed to be dangerously close to collapsing even further while others were still smoking.

"Midoriya, what is it?" Asked Slade suddenly as he noticed his friend had stopped.

"I think I hear a child's voice," replied the green-haired student as he rushed off towards the noise. Everyone else followed behind him until they reached the source of the voice, which did indeed appear to be a crying child with a bloody forehead under a baseball cap. "Oh no, this looks bad."

"What's up with you? Minus points!" yelled the 'child' suddenly as everyone realized, to one degree of horror or another, that it was a very short man with a round face. "The first thing you should be doing is determining if I can even walk! Not to mention my breathing is off, right?" 'Who can tell? A moment ago you had a child's voice,' Clay almost said but managed to bite his tongue in time.

"I'm also bleeding fairly badly on my head at the moment. If you have a provisional license you should be able to determine a victim's condition in an instant!" 'So this is how we lose points,' thought Slade, 'the H.U.C 'victims' will be scoring us based not only on rescuing people but also how we rescue people.' "Look around and pay attention, this whole test is meant to show how much you've trained in this particular area!"

"You need to remember that until the police and firefighters arrive, you're not just doing search and rescue but exercising authority in place of them. Also, you must insure that things go smoothly when authority is handed off to them. Heroes must accomplish a number of tasks when saving people, and above all you have to remember: as ordinary people we're scared, hurt and worried out of our minds, so don't just say things like 'this is bad' when you show up." Everyone mulled over what they just heard as the reality set in. They couldn't treat this like another test, but like a real occurrence, in fact it would be best if they forgot it was a test altogether.

Midoriya was the first to realize this as he slapped his own face and stepped forward with a smile. "It….it's fine. Everything's alright now." Whether the H.U.C employee was convinced or not, Clay didn't know as the man went back to whining like a child and saying that his grandfather had been crushed. "Don't worry, we'll definitely save him and you." Midoriya turned to the rest of the class for a moment. "I'll take this kid to the first aid station, the rest of you go on ahead."

Everyone nodded as they headed off into the other ruined parts of the mock city. 'I guess when it really comes down to it, this is where our experience is lacking,' thought Clay as he flew up to do some recon, 'the other students here have had a chance to get some actual rescue training. Our first session was ruined by villains and we haven't really had any other opportunities since then.' The sight of some 'civilians' waving for help drew his attention as he altered his course towards the area. 'But we weren't technically ready for a villain attack either, so no freakin' way are we gonna let something like this slow us down now!'

"Alright everyone, stand back for a moment," said Clay as he approached the hole in the building, "We're all gonna get through this just fine, but only if you remain calm. Now who here can move and who can't?" A couple of the civilians raised their hands. "Those who can move, gather in the center, as for those who can't, please just bear with me for a moment." The cloud user produced a number of clouds which he guided underneath those who 'couldn't' move before gathering them all together on a cloud raft.

"Now stay together and hold on, I'm gonna move us out of the building now and towards a first aid station. Just try not to look down." He directed the massive raft out of the hole and steered it towards the first aid station that had been set up by Shindo and the rest of Ketsubutsu during the beginning of the test.

Meanwhile, Slade was busy directing some of the other students with Momo while also using his body as a temporary support. "Is the second support set on your side?" Questioned Slade as he braced his currently high density body against some unstable rubble.

"We're clear over here and Uraraka and Sato are moving the rubble now," Momo called back before turning to Sero, "Get some more tape on those beams over there." Sero called back an affirmative as he continued using his quirk to secure loose rubble.

"Iida," said Slade as he directed his attention to some of his other classmates who couldn't currently help at the moment. "We've got everything under control here. Efficiency is key right now so it'll be best if the rest of you split off from us and locate other civilians in need."

"We'll have Koda, Jirou and Shoji use their quirks to locate more people," Mina suggested.

"And given the situation, we should cooperate with other schools as well," Said Iida, "Let's disperse everyone!" Class 1A did as instructed and split off in multiple groups to cover more ground. Momo's group followed shortly after as soon as they managed to pull the faux rescuee from the rubble.

"Your class seems to be doing an okay job for the moment," commented Ms. Joke from the stands as she rested her head on her hand, "though they were a bit slow on the uptake."

"It's only natural I'm afraid," replied Aizawa, who was more than a little annoyed that she'd been able to find him in the stands, "With everything that's happened so far this year, combat is all Class 1A has really been able to focus on aside from typical school work. However, something seems a bit off about the setup here."

"How do you mean?" Questioned Joke with a raised eyebrow as she turned her attention to the U.A. teacher.

"The announcement earlier called the scenario a large scale villain attack," explained Aizawa, "In previous tests it's simply been a disaster scenario. It's possible the scenario's been changed due to the Kamino incident and All Might's retirement. But even then, why not refer to it as the aftermath of a villain attack if rescue efforts are all that's being performed?"

"You're so cute when you overthink stuff, you know that," said Joke with a smirk, getting an irritated huff from her former co-worker. "But now that you've brought it up I'm going to start thinking about it too. What other parameters would go into a rescue exercise like this?" The answer to both of their questions came in the form of a large explosion at the edge of the arena.

A number of other explosions also erupted around the arena before an announcement broke through the noise and confusion. "Villains have been sighted in the area and are closing in. All hero candidates should continue rescue efforts while repelling them."

"I sometimes hate it when you're right, Eraser," Said Joke as a look of surprise came over her face.

"A situation like this would be difficult even for a pro hero," Aizawa noted with concern as he watched the stadium get flooded with men in bluish black suits with four-eyed masks and some type of silver, U-shaped gauntlets on their hands. What was even more disconcerting was who was leading them.

"Oh you got to be kidding me," said Clay as he spied the pro hero that looked like a killer whale dressed up in mobster clothing. "Of all the people we had to face for this, it had to be my second favorite." The hero ranked number ten in the nation and third on the list of 'heroes that resembled villains,' Gang Orca. And as of right now, he would be the villain to overcome if any of them hoped to pass.

 **The final portion of the exam is not cutting any corners for our heroes-in-training as one of the strongest, and coolest in my opinion, pros steps forward to further complicate an already tricky scenario. Will our heroes choose to fight, flee, or defend against his might?! All dramatics aside, I hope you all enjoyed this latest chapter, and, I've also got a bit of news for everyone. Just like my Re:Zero fan fiction is on hold for now until the second season is released, I will also be halting this story once I reach the end of season three, because I know the anime will be a bit different and because I'm a bit lazy. I will of course continue the story once season 4 comes out in October, but I also realize that's a bit of a wait for everyone. So to fill that gap, I'll be starting another fan fiction or two that will hopefully prove at least a little entertaining until I resume my other stories. One of my gracious readers has given me a suggestion for such a fan fiction, The Rising of the Shield Hero. I also have some plans for a Kill la Kill fan fiction in the works, though I need to get the story a little straighter. So feel free to let me know what you think of these two ideas in your comments and reviews, along with what you liked/disliked about this chapter or any neat ideas you might have for future chapters. Be sure to stop in next time as the disaster area becomes a full on mock battlefield. 'Til then.**


	54. Face the 10th Strongest Hero

**Pass or Fail: Face The 10th Strongest Hero**

Two Years Ago: Musutafu

"So who exactly are your favorite heroes?" Questioned Midoriya as he, Slade and Clay were walking back towards the apartment where the green-haired boy lived. It had become something of an unspoken practice for the three of them to stick together until Midoriya got back home. Less chance of him potentially being jumped by bullies that way.

"My favorite heroes," said Slade as he scratched his head in thought, "Well I don't exactly have a favorite that would make me jump up and down when I see them. But if I had to pick, I'd say Ectoplasm."

"Oh, his quirk allows him to multiply if I recall," said Midoriya, "though some people are a bit put off by his appearance."

"Any guy that can fight with a peg leg is already impressive, even if they've got an evil grin," said Slade, "But he's also well-versed in mathematics, so much so that he accepted a position at U.A. as a teacher because of it. And yes, the trench coat is kinda bad SS."

"Slade's always been a fan of super smart heroes," remarked Clay as he walked with his hands behind his head, "And Ectoplasm probably reminds him of that Blade Runner movie."

"It's a good commentary on human nature, and asks the big questions like where does machine stop being machine and become something else?"

"Wow, is it really that good of a movie?" Questioned Midoriya with an inquisitive glance as they turned a corner on the street.

"It is," said Clay, "But trust me when I say we do not have time to go into the rant that Slade is most certainly about to start."

"It's a good rant," said Slade, "the best movies are the ones that make you think a little bit."

"Well I think you should let Midoriya see the movie first before explaining its fine intricacies," said Clay, "Otherwise you'll spoil the whole blasted thing."

"Fine," said Slade as he crossed his arms, "we'll have a deep conversation later I suppose, in the meantime, I guess we should get back on topic. I believe you still need to tell Midoriya who your favorite heroes are."

"Ah yes," said Clay as he held up a finger, "Well my most favorite would have to be Snipe, followed closely by Gang Orca. I love the cowboy/gasmask look Snipe's got going on and I'm a sucker for awesome gunplay."

"Yeah, but don't you hate gangsters," Slade pointed out, "It seems kind of ironic that you're second favorite would be a guy who dresses up as one."

"Oh that, it's just a costume," explained Clay, "Gang Orca chose that look because he wants to appear intimidating but professional, and because Boss Orca doesn't have the same ring to it. But the reason he's my second favorite is because despite his intimidating look, he's really not that mean of a guy, as long as you don't count the ##whooping he lays down on villains."

"So basically, you like him because he inspires you to be a tough but kind person then," surmised Midoriya as he pulled out one of his hero notebooks and jotted down some of the info he'd just heard about Gang Orca.

"I guess you could say that," said Clay, "I just hope that if I ever do meet him in person, he's as nice a guy as I've been saying."

Dagoba Stadium: Now

'Okay, keep calm and think,' thought Clay as he turned his cloud around in the air. 'Gang Orca, your second favorite hero, has just busted out of the sidewall into the stadium with the guys from his agency in order to harass us as villains. Obviously we'll need to fight back, but we have to do that while still rescuing injured civilians and getting them to-oh crap.' The airborne student turned his attention back towards the first aid station, which he now noticed was incredibly close to the entry point of the faux villains. 'Those pricks!'

Clay shot forward, pushing his quirk to a higher than normal speed as he flew over the wreckage of the fake city. He formed his trademark cloud gear along the way and as he approached, he noticed that he wasn't the only one to realize the villain's intentions. Shindo from Ketsubutsu was charging forward towards the many threats as well, yelling back at Midoriya and the other examinees to protect the civilians before slamming his hands on the ground and using his vibration quirk to shatter the earth beneath the advancing villain's feet. It proved effective in stopping the first wave of attackers, but not the second.

Before Shindo knew it, Gang Orca was upon him with surprising speed for his size as he blasted him with a powerful ultrasonic wave. 'Crap, that attack is capable of paralyzing its opponents!' Clay recalled as Shindo fell back onto the ground, seemingly unconscious from the attack. 'Only got one shot at this,' the 1A student thought as he summoned a massive cloud from his body and formed it into a giant spike ball which he swung forward.

"How naïve of you," said Gang Orca as he noticed the attack coming and blasted it apart with another burst of his ultrasonic wave, leaving only thick vapors drifting to the ground. "Only two on the rear guard when the difference in ability is this great? Clearly you're underestimating the threat you face."

"Oh I know all about the threat we face," said Clay as he turned the new knobs on his sleeves which released all of the stored clouds in his costume's built-in tanks, "And despite the circumstances, it's still an honor to meet you. I hope we can both live up to each other's expectations."

"Then you'd best do better than that last attack," remarked Gang Orca as he stalked forward, "Half-hearted moves won't help you here."

"Hate to say it but you're wrong on one account," said Clay as he took a fighting stance while using some of his excess clouds to move Shindo out of the way, "that last attack was more of a setup move."

"Setup?" questioned Gang Orca as he stopped and looked around. But he realized his error too late as all of the scattered clouds from Clay's first attack converged and clamped onto his back.

"Grasping thunder!" exclaimed Clay as the clouds flashed with the energy of a small storm, electrocuting the pro with a powerful surge of lightning. "I know you're sonic attack originates from your head which is also how you aim it! So I figured your lower back was just the slightest bit more vulnerable than the rest of you."

Gang Orca didn't answer for a moment as he just seemed to stand there, whether he was brooding or disoriented Clay didn't know. "Not bad," said Gang Orca as he suddenly shot forward, closing the distance between him and Clay in only a few heartbeats, "I actually felt that." The cloud user hardly had enough time to erect a cloud shield before a massive sonic blast knocked him off his feet. The blow was so strong that even with the cloud's protection, it still sent him flying several feet away.

The 1A student didn't even have time to create a cloud cushion as he hit the ground and rolled a few feet before finally stopping. He had to do his best not to throw up the bile in his throat as he struggled to his hands and knees, fighting the paralyzing effects of the blast. 'Gotta hit back,' thought Clay as he gathered what clouds he could, 'Or this'll all be over.' But just as Gang Orca was about to step into striking distance, he whirled around and used his sonic attack to blast apart a mass of ice that seemed to be charging at him.

The cloud user looked towards the source of the ice attack, sighing a bit in relief when he realized Todoroki had shown up. 'Looks like we still might have a chance,' thought Clay as he noticed that Tokoyami, Ojiro and Mina had shown up as well. "Clay, are you alright?" Questioned Mina as she grabbed onto him and helped him to his feet.

"I've been worse," said Clay as he gathered his remaining clouds in front of him, "Listen, you need to go help evacuate the civilians."

"But you're hurt," protested Mina, "I can't just leave you here." Clay's response to this was to form a cloud wall to block a number of grey projectiles then striking back at the approaching henchman with a cloud tendril from the wall.

"So long as I'm conscious I can still move my clouds," explained Clay, "Our top priority is the civilians, now please, go!" Mina glanced at the oncoming henchmen, noting that a number of them had also been frozen in place by Todoroki, before glancing back at Clay.

"Be careful," she finally said as she ran back towards the civilians, leaving Clay to resume a shaky fighting stance. 'As careful as I can be,' he thought in reply before moving his cloud wall around to block more projectiles. But as he was about to counterattack, a strong wind began to pick up all around the area.

"An attack by villains!" exclaimed Inasa as he propelled himself through the air with several swirling gusts of wind, "What incredibly hot developments you've prepared for us all!" As he yelled, he used a massive blast of wind to blow away a good number of the henchmen who'd rallied behind Gang Orca, though he was unsuccessful in moving the number ten hero himself. 'So his quirk controls wind,' thought Clay as he witnessed even more faux villains flying through the air, 'with him and Todoroki here, we might actually have a chance to hold off the big boss.'

In fact, it all seemed to be going their way as both Inasa and Todoroki launched a simultaneous attack of fire and wind, which missed completely? 'The heck,' thought Clay as he went over what he just saw, 'the fire was blown away while the wind rose from the heat of the flames.' "Hey, your flames caused my wind attack to miss!" yelled Inasa at Todoroki, "Why'd you even use a fire attack anyway." 'And now of all times, they've started arguing?!'

"Because he blocked my ice attack!" Todoroki yelled back up at Inasa with an irritated look on his face, "and if anyone's interfering it's you! Your wind blew away my flames!"

"You shot your flames on purpose, to keep me from getting the glory," accused Inasa.

"Why would I do something like that, what's up with you?" Questioned a confused and frustrated Todoroki.

"Isn't it obvious, you're the son of Endeavor, so of course you'd do something like that," Stated Inasa.

"What in the world does my old man have to do with any of-," Todoroki couldn't finish his question as he was hit in the shoulder by a round from one of the henchman's U-shaped gauntlets. 'Cement guns,' Clay recalled as he shifted his clouds to block some more of the projectiles which had been aimed at him, 'they fire a substance which can solidify incredibly fast and make it difficult for a target to move.'

"To be arguing in the middle of an emergency is nothing short of outrageous," Scolded Gang Orca, who'd been watching the exchange between Inasa and Todoroki with as much confusion as the rest of his men. But he was done waiting for them to sort out their differences as he ordered his men to begin bombarding the two examinees with a barrage of cement projectiles. Todoroki was able to use his right side to create an ice wall while Inasa used his wind to evade the shots in midair. Despite the situation, the two of them were still yelling at each other. In fact they were so unfocused on the situation that they launched another simultaneous fire and wind attack that veered off course yet again.

But the result was even worse this time as the flames headed for an unconscious Shindo. "You freakin' idiots!" exclaimed Clay as he was forced to direct some of his clouds to block the flames. He was successful, but the fire evaporated the portion of the clouds he was using to maintain his cloud wall, allowing some of the cement shots to start getting through. Fortunately, Midoriya arrived just in time to yank Shindo out of the way with the energy of full cowl swirling around his body.

"What in the world are you guy's doing?!" Yelled the green-haired boy as he shot through the air. It didn't seem to help, however, as Gang Orca maneuvered around the ice wall and stopped in front of Todoroki. The ice/fire wielder stepped back to avoid the pro hero's swipe, but it turned out to be a feint as he directed his ultrasonic attack at Inasa. Taken by surprise, the Shiketsu student couldn't react in time as the sonic waves impacted and paralyzed his body, causing him to also lose control of most of his quirk as he fell to the ground with just enough wind to keep him from impacting hard.

Todoroki attempted to strike back, but Gang Orca was too quick and grabbed a hold of him before using another sonic attack to incapacitate him. The henchmen took this as their cue to make a full on charge for the first aid station. ' #%&,' seethed Clay as he tried to extend the wall more, 'between Gang Orca and Todoroki's fire attack, I lost a number of clouds and the longer I make the wall the thinner it's gonna be. I guess I've only got one option.'

Clay began to produce even more clouds from his body, feeling the strain as the first signs of dehydration began to take hold. But as Gang Orca's men were about to reach the barrier of clouds, the ground broke beneath their feet. 'Shindo's back up,' he realized as he glanced back to see the Ketsubutsu student was kneeling on the ground, still shaking a bit from the earlier sonic attack, but otherwise ready to fight. "Get the remaining injured moved away from here!" Called out Shindo, "I'll hold the line here!"

"We both will," Said Clay as he moved next to Shindo, purposely dropping some of his cloud wall to allow the Ketsubutsu student a better view. "As long as you keep your side guarded, I can actually spare some clouds for combat." Clay articulated his point by having parts of the wall transform into boots that kicked away some of the approaching henchman before reforming into one large boot that forced the rest of them to jump back from the wall.

"As long as you don't become a glory hog like those other two," commented Shindo weakly before sending out another tremor.

"I don't know what any of that's about," said Clay as he repelled a few more attackers with several thorny cloud vines, "But they won't have a chance against Gang Orca until they get over it." Fortunately for the both of them, getting paralyzed seemed to allow the two first years some time to reflect on their actions. A brilliant spectacle followed as Todoroki produced a mass amount of flames from his body while Inasa commanded what wind he could. Neither of their attacks were much good separately, but together, the two quirks created a tornado of flame around Gang Orca, effectively trapping him in place.

"Hey, the boss is trapped back there!" called one of the henchmen as the faux villains all turned back towards the number ten hero. It didn't take much for them to realize that they needed to stop the flames and attempted firing more cement shots at Todoroki. But the dual quirk user was able to activate his ice side as well, creating a crude but effective ice wall against the incoming projectiles. "Some of us should keep up the pursuit while the rest-AAAAH!"

The lead henchman couldn't finish giving the order as Midoriya leapt in and kicked away three of them with full cowl. As the others attempted to aim at him, Ojiro pounced, using his tail to wrap around one of the henchmen's cement guns and douse two of the others with their own weapon before leaping next to Midoriya. "We've managed to evacuate all the civilians," reported Ojiro, "And reinforcements are on the way."

"Reinforcements are here!" exclaimed Slade as he, Mina and Tokoyami entered the fray, batting henchmen out of the way with their respective quirks. Some of the faux villains attempted to form a firing line to use their cement guns, but were quickly tripped up by Tsuyu's tongue as she seemed to materialize out of thin air.

"I finally got my new camouflage move good enough to use in combat," remarked the frog girl before her eyes went wide. "Ojiro, behind you!" The tailed student reacted too slowly as a number of henchmen jumped towards him from among the rubble. But their charge was quickly stopped by a mass of yellow hair as Mora arrived on the scene as well.

"For there to be so many left after I sent Inasa here," said Mora, "Is a disgrace to the Shiketsu name!"

"Well the rest of us are glad to see ya if that helps," said Clay as he converted the remainder of his cloud wall into a tidal wave attack that sent all of the henchman still shooting at him falling among the rubble. "I'm just happy that I can finally stop playing defense!" The cloud warrior emphasized his joy at the turn around with a pair of giant cloud rings which he sent rolling among the ranks of quickly decreasing henchman. 'Most of the people from the stadium have been evacuated to the first aid station,' thought Slade as he used an aikido throw to toss one henchman into a group of others, 'we just need to buy enough time for the remaining ones to be rescued.'

The sound of a sonic blast interrupted his thoughts, however, as the vortex of wind and flame was suddenly torn apart by a full power attack that Gang Orca had directed upward. "Not bad, but what have you got next?" Questioned the pro hero, who'd poured water on his head to keep himself from drying out. The looks on Todoroki and Inasa's faces said it all, they had nothing else, not even the ability to stand up.

Meaning Gang Orca was unopposed as he reached for the nearest hero in order to finish what he'd started. Or so he thought, until a pair of green and grey blurs flew into the area, forcing the pro to block a roundhouse kick with one arm and a high density ax kick with the other. "Ah, Midoriya and Slade," said Gang Orca, "let's see what you've got." The two classmates might've responded if the horn for the exam didn't suddenly sound.

"All the deployed H.U.C employees have been rescued from the danger zone," announced Mera, "Arbitrary as it may seem, all exam procedures for the provisional licensing exam have been completed."

"Oh thank God we're done," sighed Clay as he dispersed his clouds and walked a little unsteadily towards Slade and Midoriya.

"The results shall be announced once the scores have all been tallied," continued Mera, "All injured examinees should report to the infirmary. The rest should change out of costume and stand by."

"I guess that's a wrap," said Slade as he brushed some dust off of his costume, "Good thing, I was getting weirded out by all the 'kids' with adult voices."

"Whatever we do, I just need something to drink first," said Clay as he removed his mask and goggles.

"This might help," said Gang Orca as he suddenly extended a hand, causing Clay and the others to flinch for a moment. "Don't worry, the exams over now so I don't have to act like a villain anymore. And before you ask, this is fresh water, I keep some in case I run into a dehydrated person in need."

"Right, yeah sorry, long day," said Clay as he rubbed the back of his head before accepting the water skin and taking a rather long swig from it. "Ah, now that's the good stuff."

"You three did pretty well out there," commented the killer whale hero as he accepted the water skin back, "If this test had gone on too much longer, I might've been in trouble after drying out. But don't let that go to your heads, you've still got plenty you can improve on."

"Yes sir!" exclaimed the three of them with a salute.

"Oh, and sorry about the whole shocking you thing earlier, I honestly couldn't think of much else that would slow you down," added Clay as he rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

"I've been hit by worse, now get going before they announce the results," said Gang Orca as he urged them on with a wave of his hand. The three friends all nodded once again before turning and heading off towards the locker rooms.

"I hope we didn't lose too many points at the start," said Midoriya as he wiped some of the sweat off his head while they walked, "that whole situation was rough."

"Tell me about," said Slade as he rubbed his ears a bit, "I don't think even real disaster victims yell as loud as some of these H.U.C people did."

"I just hate that I found out what it was like for Midoriya to punch All Might in the face," said Clay, "I finally get to meet my second favorite hero and what do I do? Hit him with a contained bolt of lightning. I mean the guy inspired the color scheme I use for my costume for goodness sake."

"Well if he's anything like All Might, he'd probably have been disappointed if you held back," Midoriya said, "I mean I tried to run away from him at first and it might've disappointed him a bit back at the final exam."

"I'm sure he'll still give you an autograph if you ask," said Slade, slapping his friend on the back with a slightly dense hand, causing Clay to grunt a bit. "You can add it to that autographed hat Snipe gave you at the beginning of the year."

"What! When did that happen!" Exclaimed Midoriya, "You've had a peace of memorabilia like that and didn't think to tell me!" Clay laughed weakly at that as the three of them entered the locker rooms.

Shortly after that, Class 1A stood at the edge of the stadium with the rest of the examinees. A stage had been set up with a large screen and a podium in front of it that Mera was using to address everyone. "Alright everyone…..Thank you all for your hard work," said Mera into his headset, still sounding just as tired as ever. "We will now announce the results of the test, but first, I'll give a better explanation of the scoring system we used."

'Great,' thought Clay, 'more hidden variables.' "A two-fold demerit system was used by both the outside examiners and the H.U.C.," explained Mera, "In short, you were graded on how few mistakes you made in a crisis situation. Keeping that in mind, here are the names of everyone who passed." The screen lit up behind him with all of the names on it listed in syllabary order.

All of the gathered examinees searched the list frantically, looking for their names. Clay was no different as he looked in the section that started with 'C's, feeling the same tension as everyone else. Then breathed a massive sigh of relief when he finally found his name. "It's there," he said while double then triple checking to make sure he hadn't misread, "It's freakin' there!"

"I can't believe it," said Jirou with a relieved smile, "We actually passed."

"Yay! We passed!" yelled Mina as she tackled Clay with a hug, knocking the both of them to the ground.

"Mina! What's the matter with you!" exclaimed Jirou as she tried to get the energetic girl to loosen her grip on their classmate, creating a rather comedic scene as she somehow managed to lose her own balance and fall on both of them.

"What in the world is that about," said Slade as he watched his friend's dilemma, "We can celebrate after we get bac-hello." The density shifter found himself silenced by a sudden hug from Momo.

"I can't believe it, I passed," said Momo happily, "And you passed too! We did it, we're one step closer to being actual heroes!" Slade was confused at first, but then hugged Momo back as a smile crept across his face. 'Ah what the heck, we can celebrate a little right now. After all, Class 1A just cleared a big hurdle.' At least, most of the class had.

 **And so ends the final test of the provisional licensing exam, with all but a couple passing! But now that this hurdle has been cleared, a new set of challenges await our aspiring heroes-to-be! In the meantime, I hope you all enjoyed this latest chapter and will be just as happy to hear this latest bit of news. From what feed back I've gotten, the next fanfiction shall be on one of the more recent isekai gems, The Rising of the Shield Hero. The working title at the moment is 'Armory of the Fifth Forgotten Hero,' or 'Armory of the Forgotten Hero.' As always, feel free to leave a comment or a review about what you liked/disliked, any neat ides you might have about future chapters, or if you think the title of the new fanfiction is a little wordy. Be sure to stop in next time as Clay overhears something troubling between Bakugou and Midoriya. 'Til next time.**


	55. Ability Isn't Everything

**Ability Isn't Everything**

Dagoba Stadium

As seems to be the way of things, when there is good news there must almost always be bad news. In the case of Class 1A, today's good news was that nearly everyone had managed to pass the provisional licensing exam and would be getting their provisional hero licenses on the way out. Of course, that was also the bad news. Due to Todoroki and Inasa's little quarrel during the exam, both the 1A and Shiketsu student had failed.

Inasa had been the first to apologize as he once again managed to bow so low that his head slammed into the ground. "My apologies Todoroki!" Inasa said in his overenthusiastic manner, "Because of my own narrow-mindedness, you weren't able to pass. So once again, I'm sorry!"

Todoroki was clearly surprised by the move as he pondered the rival student's words for a moment. "Don't worry too much about it," he finally said, "I started the whole mess in the first place."

"But you shouldn't apol-," Inasa started to say before Todoroki gave his own explanation.

"I should actually be thanking you," said Todoroki, "I realized a number of issues because you confronted me directly." The Shiketsu student seemed to mull over the dual quirk user's words as everyone else watched on from a distance.

"Todoroki seriously didn't pass," said a surprised Mina before noticing that Clay was trying to hold in a laugh. "What's funny about that?"

"Oh it's not Todoroki I'm laughing at," Clay managed to say as he pointed over towards a certain explosion user, "He failed because of some interference and that really is bad news. But guess who failed for being a complete ##hole?" Mina, Kaminari and Sero followed Clay's gaze to see a rather pissed Bakugou.

"Oh man," said Sero, "Bakugou failed too. That's both top people from the class."

"I think this would be a good time for you to work on your abusive language," said Kaminari, earning a death glare from the ash blonde student.

"I think it's time for you to shut up before I kill you!" Seethed Bakugou in response. It was also the final straw as Clay burst out laughing.

"Wow," the cloud user said between bouts of snickering, "How's it feel now that being a dickhead has backfired on you again?!"

"I see it as great news," commented Mineta with an evil smirk, "This means the social hierarchy is collapsing!" He was stopped from saying much else thanks to Iida carrying him away.

"And now we will pass out the results for everyone," said Mera tiredly as several men in black suits stepped forward with an arm load of papers. "The breakdown of your scores is explained on the sheets. As mentioned earlier, we graded you using the demerit system with the cutoff score being fifty. You can see which actions cost you points listed on your printouts."

It wasn't a lengthy process, but it did take a couple minutes for everyone to get a hold of their scores. "What! You got ninety-four points and Slade got ninety points!" Said Jirou in total disbelief as she looked at her own score.

"Well it says we did well at taking charge of the situation," said Slade as he read over his, "We also got points for creative and practical uses of our quirks."

"What about you Clay," said Jirou, almost afraid to ask after hearing the first two?

"I got about eighty six on mine," Said Clay as he read over his, "Seems I'm not so good at double-checking how much some people should be moved before applying my quirk. Though they seem to be fans of a giant, floating cloud raft."

"Ah, jeez," groaned Jirou, "It looks like I've still got a long way to go with this kind of stuff."

"But we should all be grateful," cheered Iida as he looked at his own score sheet, "they're telling us all exactly what we need to improve on!"

"Speaking of which, how'd you do Midoriya," asked Slade curiously as he bent down to glance at his friend's score sheet.

"I only got seventy one on mine," replied the green-haired student, "It wasn't for any bad actions I took, mostly my conduct beforehand. I also got a few points off for standing around a little too long on some occasions."

"Yes, but something else is bothering you isn't it," said Slade, having learned long ago what his friend looked like when he was thinking deeply about something.

"Well it's kind of strange," said Midoriya, "this was a demerit system which gave no chance for adding points back and failed people when the scores hit fifty or below. But why keep people on the field who have already failed?" The question didn't hang in the air for long before it was answered by the exam spokesman.

"For everyone who has passed today," said Mera, "You are now able, only in emergencies, to exercise the same level of authority as a pro hero. This includes fighting villains, rescuing people from danger and acting on your own judgement without the direction of another pro. But remember, this also means that each action you take carries with it a responsibility towards society. As you know, All Might used up his power in his last battle and can no longer suppress crime with his existence, meaning more villains are bound to appear."

"The balance of the world is shifting and one day all of you young people will become society's center. So you must all become exemplary heroes who are great enough to suppress these future villains yourselves. While you may have your provisional licenses now, I would like you all to think of yourselves as fledglings who have learned from this test and become even more diligent in your studies. As for those who did not pass," Todoroki and Bakugou stiffened a bit at this, "You don't have the time to feel dejected about failing as a chance still exists for you."

'So that's what they were up to,' thought Slade as Mera continued. "If you attend a three-month long specialized course and manage to pass an individual test, you will be issued a provisional license." A collection of cheers rose from the crowd at this revelation. "In order to face the 'future' I just spoke of, we'll be needing as many exemplary heroes as we can get, which is why the first test weeded out all but a hundred. We would like to see that hundred grow as much as possible, which is also the reason we let you stay until the very end."

"It was not because you didn't have promise, but simply needed to see what inadequacies existed to be corrected and improved on. All of you have the potential to be even greater than those who have already passed. Though it may keep you busy with your current studies, you may choose to retake the test in April."

"That's great," said Midoriya as he turned to Todoroki, "You can still make it."

"We'll all be waiting for you," said Iida with a smile.

"I'll be catching up to all of you…..soon," said Todoroki with a small but friendly smile on his face.

U.A. Heights Alliance: Common Area

"Aaaaand boom," said Slade as he sunk another ball into a side pocket, causing a collection of groans and cheers to come from all assembled.

"Come on," groaned Kirishima, "How can you even hit a ball at that angle?"

"I told you he was good at this," said Clay as he leaned against the wall in the common area.

"Yeah you said good not freakin' master of the pool hall!" exclaimed Kaminari as he tried to set up for another shot. Slade's parents had sent over his pool table from home, though negotiations had to be made with the school which kept it from being delivered until earlier that morning. It seemed fitting, though, to have a way to celebrate at least a little for those who had passed. The cloud user himself could still hardly believe it as he shifted his new license between his fingers. They'd all received them on the way out while also having to deal with a strange good bye from Inasa who apologized in advance to Todoroki, saying he'd be competitive again at the next test and still hated his guts.

Clay had to endure another bout of hugging from Ms. Joke, who was apparently thrilled at the fact that he used an actual cloud car. Apparently she took it as a sign that the cloud user still thought of her fondly which, while true to an extent, was not the reason he'd come up with the vehicle formation in the first place. As for Midoriya, well the waterworks started up for him as he immediately sent a picture of his new license to his mother and All Might. Though he also had to endure a slight bit of disappointment when he questioned Mora about the body suit girl's, whose name he found out was Cammie, whereabouts.

The One for All user had hoped to learn a little bit about a technique Cammie had used to hide her presence. Strangely, though, Mora said they didn't teach something like that at Shiketsu and that she had already headed home by taxi. In truth, she'd apparently been acting strange for the last three days or so. Whatever the case, it was a mystery for another time as Clay slipped his license back into his pocket and continued to watch Slade clobber all comers with his relentless pool skills.

"Hey Clay," said Jirou from over by the couches, "could you give us a hand with something over here?"

"Yeah sure," said Clay as he pushed off the wall and headed in their direction. At about the same time, Bakugou was passing by Midoriya.

"Hey," said Bakugou in more of an intense whisper than anything, "Go out front later." Clay didn't hear the rest but he did turn his head ever so slightly to see that his friend was just as confused as he was. 'What in the world's going on,' thought the cloud user before something furry was suddenly placed in his hands?

"SMILE!" Said Mina and Hagakure as Clay was hit by the flash from a couple of camera phones.

"Ah what the heck," grimaced the 1A student as he looked down to what he was holding. "Why am I holding Koda's rabbit right now?"

"Because no one has any pictures of you smiling," said Jirou, "at least not recent pictures."

"And this way, more people will think you have a sensitive side," said Hagakure with what Clay assumed was a grin.

"I have a sensitive side," he defended, "It's just a little atypical is all. Besides, what makes you think rabbits even like me?"

"This one does," Koda signed with a smile, "she says you smell like grass dew."

"Gee thanks, I think," said Clay as he glanced down at the bunny, "I guess you and I both are getting dragged into stuff today." As it turned out, this wouldn't be the last thing he let himself get dragged into that evening.

Training Ground Beta

After another few mishaps involving pictures with a bunny and a picture with everyone, almost, holding out their provisional licenses, Clay said he needed to turn in a bit early. Then he waited until everyone else was asleep before stalking around out front. Not long after that, Bakugou came walking out with Midoriya following behind him, neither one saying a word at first. As it turned out, for once the explosion quirk user had no intention of talking until he led Midoriya to their destination, the cityscape ground beta.

Clay stuck to the shadows the whole way, using every bit of training his Uncle had taught him about following someone at a distance without being noticed. But even with his not so close proximity, the quiet of the night allowed him to more or less hear what was being said. "Our first combat training was here," said Bakugou as he and Midoriya stopped in front of a familiar multi-story building, "It's also where I first lost to you." 'Where in the world are you going with this Bakugou,' thought Clay from the shadows with a raised eyebrow.

"You always made me sick to my stomach," Continued Bakugou, "A quirkless, useless loser. Then you get a quirk out of the blue and somehow get into U.A.? Then you said some stuff that didn't make any sense at the time, but you still looked happy with yourself before climbing higher and higher. Ever since All Might arrived in this city you've gone further and further until finally you passed the provisional license exam while I failed."

"That wasn't just ability-," Midoriya tried to say, being his overly kind self as always before being stopped short.

"Shut up and listen you damn scum," yelled Bakugou before resuming his rant, "You've always made me irritated and pissed off. But that $ in Kamino helped me understand things better. I've been thinking about it a lot and now I gotta ask." The ash blond finally turned back towards Midoriya. "You got your quirk from All Might didn't you?"

The One for All user didn't answer, but instead simply swallowed nervously. "That weird boss villain could steal quirks and give them to other people," Bakugou kept going, "One of those pussy cat ladies lost hers and can't work as a hero anymore. After you met All Might, you've been different while he's lost his power. You were also the only one to react differently to what All Might said after he beat the boss villain. It's even more credible when you include those Nomu scum with multiple quirks."

'I'll be,' thought Clay with a mixture of respect and dread, 'he actually can think calmly and rationally if he puts his mind to it.' "Plus, All Might and that bastard villain also knew each other," surmised Bakugou, "so if quirks could move from one person to another and All Might knew the guy with the power to do that, then it all goes back to what you said about receiving your quirk from someone. I tried asking All Might about it but he wouldn't give me an answer, so I'm asking you."

Again Midoriya didn't answer. "Since you're not denying it, I guess that means it's all true."

"What are planning to do with the answer," said the green-haired boy, at last giving some sort of answer. Bakugou narrowed his eyes at the question.

"We both wanted to be like All Might," said Bakugou, "Then someone I thought of as just a pebble was acknowledged by the person I admire without me even realizing. So I brought you out here so that you and I can fight, right here right now!"

"What," protested Midoriya, "we can't do that! We're not even supposed to be here right now. If we're going to fight it should be during practice or a free training period, we can even reserve a training room if you're that dead set on it. There's no real reason we have to fight now, is there?"

"Someone will stop us if we fight seriously," said Bakugou, "I want to see for myself what part of you made All Might pass his power onto you. If the way you admired him was right, then what was wrong about my admiration?" 'It wasn't your admiration that was wrong,' thought Clay as he formed a cloud gauntlet in the shadows, 'It's what you chose to admire.' Midoriya tried to protest once more, but Bakugou was done talking as he launched himself forward with an explosion.

The One for All user managed to dodge but not without a slight burn on his leg. His opponent pressed the attack, quickly lighting up the area with numerous explosions that blew out windows and caused dust and small debris to rain everywhere. Clay was forced from his hiding spot using his cloud gear to fly into the air to avoid an accidental attack. 'What in the world do I do,' he thought as he found himself strangely hesitant to intervene, 'there's no actual meaning to this fight and it's only gonna serve to get them both into trouble if they don't stop.'

A memory flashed through his head then as he glanced at the building that the class had used for their first heroics course. 'If he's gonna be a hero someday, you and I can't keep protecting him.' "Figures," he thought aloud, "I really do need to watch my mouth sometimes." He noticed some movement in one of the corners then as a type of camera bot with stick-like arms and a body rolled out on treads to see what all the commotion was about. For some reason it also had a beret-style hat like a security officer.

'Sorry Uncle,' he thought as he fired out a fist-sized cloud shaped like rubble, destroying the little robot before it could alert any of the teachers. 'It might be better to let the fight play out this time around, even if it is stupid.' Though it wasn't quite a fight just yet as Midoriya continued to evade Bakugou before finally counterattacking with a backflip which kicked away Bakugou's hands and caused him to stumble back onto the ground.

"Kacchan, are you okay," questioned Midoriya as he tried to help him up, only to get his hand swatted away.

"Don't worry about me, just fight already!" the explosion quirk user screamed back, "What's wrong with you anyway?!" He got back to his feet, but didn't resume his stance just yet, "Why, how did I end up chasing after someone who's always been behind me?! Why did a damn small fry like you have to get strong and become acknowledged by All Might while I," actual tears were falling from his eyes, something which surprised even Clay, "While I was the one who ended him! If I'd only been stronger, I wouldn't have been taken and none of this would've happened!"

'So that's what this is all about,' thought the cloud user with a shake of his head as he watched from a new perch on a nearby roof. Whatever the case, the sudden outburst by his former friend seemed to have a bit of an effect as Midoriya's body lit up with the energy of One for All as he actually stood ready to fight now. When the two students resumed, it was no longer a game of cat and mouse but an actual bout as Bakugou maneuvered close with his explosions using both medium and close range attacks while Midoriya used full cowl to dodge and counter with his shoot style. One blow after another was exchanged as kicks and punches accompanied powerful blasts.

For a few moments, Bakugou seemed to have the upper hand due to his fighting ability as they separated to assess each other again. But Clay noticed something different when Midoriya charged again. 'He's faster and the energy output in his body seems even higher, like he's using more than five percent.' In fact it was closer to eight percent as the fight began to turn in the other direction.

The ash blond couldn't quite react in time to some of the kicking attacks from his opponent and a couple of his counters weren't fast enough as Midoriya dodged around an explosion and leapt into the air. In an attempt to gain an advantage, Bakugou launched himself after him, attempting to use his enhanced aerial mobility. But he underestimated his childhood punching bag once again as the green-haired boy slammed a fist into his face, using only five percent of One for All to not damage his arms.

The hit was good but as the explosion quirk user fell, he reached up and grabbed the arm that had struck his face. "N-no way I-I'll lose!" raged Bakugou as he shifted their position in midair and raised his hand to send them both flying downward. But Midoriya managed to kick away at the last second, causing his opponent to shift his hand in slight surprise before both of them were caught in an explosion.

Clay couldn't see either of them for a moment before two figures fell from the cloud of smoke created by the blast, landing a few feet away from each other. Both of them tried to struggle to their feet, but it was obvious the blast had taken a good bit out of them. "I won't…..lose," coughed Bakugou, "I…..won't…lose."

"I think we should call this fight," said Clay as he quickly floated down with the use of his clouds, "it's obvious neither of you can take much more."

"W-what," said a surprised but exhausted Midoriya, "Clay? W-when did you get here?"

"I overheard Bakugou's little request earlier," explained the cloud user, "So I followed you to see what was up. In hindsight I suppose it should've been obvious what was about to happen here."

"This is none of your business $ $#cloud!" exclaimed Bakugou as he shakily walked forward, "This is between me and him!"

"Yeah, no," said Clay as he also stepped forward, "He's my friend and last I checked, you aren't a family member of his. So I'm afraid this is very much my business."

"Just get out of the way before-AAAAAAAACK!" The explosion quirk user wasn't able to finish his sentence before Clay slammed some cloud brass knuckles into his nose, knocking him over.

"Damn I've been waiting all year to do that," said the cloud user as he dissolved the weapon.

"Clay, what are you doing?" Questioned a concerned Midoriya as his friend turned and headed back towards him.

"Like I said, the both of you have clearly had enough,"he explained, "Otherwise ##hat over there wouldn't be struggling to get up." A point Bakugou wasn't able to contest as he took a full ten seconds to shakily get to his feet. "Besides, I noticed we're about to have company."

"He's right," said a familiar voice as everyone turned their heads to see the now permanently shriveled up form of All Might approaching them. "I should've noticed you were troubled earlier and done something about it young Bakugou."

"It's too late now," replied the ash blond as he directed his gaze to the ground, "Just tell me one thing, why him? This all started after the sludge villain incident. Why did you pick him?"

"Because despite being powerless, he was more heroic than anyone else," Answered All Might. "You were already strong and more than capable of competing. I decided he should be given the chance to stand in the same ring." Bakugou didn't seem completely satisfied with that answer as he spoke up.

"I'm weak too…you know," he started to say before quickly being shut up.

"OH BULL $$ !" Clay yelled, surprising Midoriya and All Might. "Don't stand there trying to act like you're someone to be pitied right now! Not counting recently, when have you ever truly felt weak in your entire life!"

"Clay this is not the time to-," All Might tried to say only for the 1A student to turn on him.

"No this is long overdue!" Clay shot back as he pointed at Bakugou, "I'm damn tired of everyone acting like his quirk and his abilities are excuses for him not to act like a decent human being! If he'd been punished properly growing up then we wouldn't be in this mess!" He turned back towards the target of his anger as he continued. "You were given basically everything, EVERYTHING a person could possibly need to be a pro hero in this day and age! You were born with a powerful quirk, innate fighting abilities and you had the support of basically everyone in school and at home and what did you do with it?! You turned on your oldest friend and bullied him through elementary school, middle school and even tried bullying him here!"

"Not only that, you spent almost all of your time here so far looking down on everyone in class and in school despite the fact that we all earned a place here, treating us like we're nothing more than annoyances! You've hardly thought of anyone but yourself and now it's finally catching up to you! If you'd curbed your bad attitude in the first place then you would've actually passed the provisional license exam and my friends and I wouldn't have gotten hurt back at the training camp when the league of villains came to forcibly recruit you! I bet you haven't even spared those that got hurt because of you a second thought!"

"Clay that's going a little far," Midoriya protested. But Clay was on a roll and wouldn't be stopped.

"Even now, all you can think about is you and how bad you feel," said Clay, "If you'd have used a little more of your brain then you'd already have realized that All Might's been on his way out for a while now. If it wasn't his fight against All for One then it would've been another time down the line. Tell me, would you still be picking a fight with Midoriya if someone else had gotten kidnapped?" Bakugou gritted his teeth at the question but didn't answer.

"You're trying to act like you're bearing some kind of great burden," continued Clay, "If you were really sorry about what's become of All Might, you'd be looking at the reasons why you were kidnapped and changing accordingly. Instead, you're just lashing out because despite all you have you're wondering why you weren't granted more! Do you want to know what I think would've happened if All Might had passed One for All to you? You would've wasted it, lording it over everyone else as another addition to your already overinflated ego. My friend Midoriya here, has never once done that with the chance he's been given and that's why he's more than a worthy holder of the power he has now."

Clay took a breath then as he turned away and walked a short distance to All Might and Midoriya. "You don't think that was a little far," questioned All Might with a whisper.

"Someone had to say it," replied the cloud wielder, "And if something like this breaks him, he wasn't cut out to be here in the first place. It's about time he learned that we all have to deal with disappointment in our lives and that the world doesn't revolve around him." The former number one hero simply sighed at that before stepping forward.

"There's something I've learned after being a hero for so long," said All Might. "Being fixated on victory like you young Bakugou and wanting to help others like you, young Midoriya, are both essential for a hero to carry out the justice they want to carry out. Now that you're both aware of each other's feelings, you should focus on making each other stronger. That way, you can save people to win and win to save people, becoming the greatest of heroes one day."

The explosion quirk user let out a shaky breath at these words. "That's not….what I was hoping to hear." He turned to Midoriya then. "You had the number one hero lay the groundwork for you, so don't lose."

"I'll get stronger," said the green-haired boy with determination set on his face, "So I can beat you one day."

"Who else knows about you and Deku," Bakugou questioned All Might and Clay.

"Recovery Girl and the principal. As for the students, only Clay and Slade know," answered All Might.

"Before you ask," said Clay, "We just figured out that All Might had a skinny form and confronted him about it. Midoriya didn't tell us a thing."

"So you also don't want this getting out," surmised Bakugou, "I won't tell anyone since it seems like you're trying hard to hide it. I won't blab like Deku did."

"Thank you," said All Might, "I'm sorry you have to be so considerate for my sake."

"I'm not being considerate," said Bakugou, "There are just too many drawbacks if I do tell someone."

"I should explain the rest of it at the very least," said All Might, "At least enough for your curiosity." And so he did. He told Bakugou about One for All's origins and how he became the number one hero, he also told him about the injury inflicted on him by All for One that had forced him to choose a successor, and he revealed how he had chosen a successor. The ash blond was able to piece together exactly why the secret couldn't be revealed and why All Might used up the last of his power.

Clay wasn't entirely onboard with him knowing, but he didn't protest either. "So in the end, it still doesn't change what I want to do," said Bakugou, "I still want to surpass you. But I'll be doing things a little differently now." His gaze shifted to Midoriya. "Just like you Deku, I'll make everything my own so that I can go higher, higher even than you."

"W-well in that case," said the holder of One for All, "I'll just have to go higher than that."

"Were you not listening?!" Bakugou yelled back, "I said I would surpass you!"

"And I said I'd have to go even higher than that," Midoriya shot back as the two began a back and forth argument of sorts. Clay simply sighed at the scene, which drew All Might's attention.

"Are you not happy with the outcome, young Clay," he questioned.

"I mean I'm happy that they're proper rivals now I guess," said Clay, "But even after knowing him for so long, I still don't know why Midoriya wants to keep being friends with him."

"He's a boy unlike most others," agreed All Might, "That's why I still believe he is a worthy successor."

"No doubt," said Clay, "quick question, though, if you're here and know what's going on, then who else knows?"

U.A. Heights Alliance: Infirmary

'Yep, Uncle would know about this one way or the other,' thought Clay as he stood there with an all too familiar capture weapon wrapped around his arms and waist. But he counted himself lucky at the moment as the real target of Aizawa's anger was currently sitting on a pair of hospital beds, bandaged and wrapped up much tighter than he was. "Fighting on the same night you finished the provisional license exam, how energetic you both are!" Even wearing only a dark shirt and pants and having his hair done up in a man bun did nothing to take away from the pro hero's intimidating presence.

"Hey there's no need for the restraints Aizawa," pleaded All Might, "This is my fault anyway."

"You'll have to explain that one," replied Aizawa with a raised eyebrow. All Might whispered his next words to the homeroom teacher.

"Young Bakugou blamed himself for my retirement," explained the former pro quietly, "between the exam and his pent up feelings, his inferiority complex finally exploded. It was negligence on my part for not realizing sooner and seeing to his mental care. It was a failure of us adults that brought this fight about."

"So I see," said Aizawa as he loosened his scarf around the three students, "I still can't simply let this go, however. I will give out a suitable punishment, so tell me, who threw the first punch?"

"It was me," admitted Bakugou, not necessarily grudgingly but not happily either.

"I also threw some pretty hard hits," Midoriya stated, apparently feeling partly responsible for the fight.

"And you Clay," questioned Aizawa as he turned his attention to his nephew.

"I punched Bakugou in the face when he refused to accept the fight was a draw," explained Clay, "And I will not apologize for it. Otherwise I just kind of watched the fight to its conclusion."

"Four days of house arrest for Bakugou and three for Midoriya," declared Aizawa, "You are both required to clean all the common areas in the dorms both in the morning and in the evening! You both must also turn in a written apology! Go to the infirmary if you have any trouble with your injuries but you are not allowed to use the old lady's quirk! Heal your own injuries that you inflicted yourselves! That's all, now go to sleep."

The two students didn't argue as they headed out of the infirmary. Clay remained as he waited for his Uncle's declaration. "As for you, nephew, you'll be helping out in the staff room for two days at the end of the school day. You'll also need to turn in a written apology for knowing about what was happening and not informing one of us."

"Sure thing," said Clay, "Though to be fair, I didn't actually know they were gonna fight. It could've just been a shouting match for all I knew."

"Well do you at least know what happened to one of our monitoring robots?" Questioned Aizawa, "its feed was suddenly cut so I didn't know where to go at first. It was only because of All Might that I didn't go racing out to search the entire premises of the school."

"Probably got hit by some stray debris," suggested Clay, fairly certain he shouldn't tell him what really happened to it. "There were a couple moments where the training ground looked like a warzone, so it's not really a surprise if you ask me."

"Well either way, don't forget about your punishment," said Aizawa. "Now get yourself to bed. You don't need to be groggy when classes start tomorrow."

"Can do," said Clay as he waved on the way out. "See ya at home room tomorrow." Yes it was the start of a new semester tomorrow. It would also be their introduction to the best of the best U.A. had to offer.

 **Whew, that was a lot of dialogue for this chapter, but dad gum it's always fun to see an arrogant prick get put in their place, at least in my opinion. But more importantly, I hope all of you enjoyed this latest chapter and have been enjoying the story as a whole. Now for a quick update on everything: This current story will be coming to a stop in the next one or two chapters, but only until season four of the anime comes out in the next couple of months. Fortunately, I will soon be premiering my newest fanfiction based on The Rising of the Shield Hero known as 'Armory of the Forgotten Hero.' I plan on posting the first chapter next week, so I hope this gives everyone something else to look forward to.**

 **Now before I go I once again find myself with a question that only my readers can answer. You see I've been writing these stories for a few years now and there exists the possibility that I want to continue writing. Doing this has allowed me to hone my abilities as a writer thanks to all of your feedback and I've found I enjoy entertaining people with my writing as well. So recently I've been toying with the idea of possibly making one of those pages but haven't been able to figure out if it would be a good idea or a bad idea. I don't know too much about the site myself so I want to hear what all of you think about it. Is worth it as a site, would it be too much trouble to manage, am I being a prick for even asking this question, etc.**

 **As always feel free to leave your thoughts on this question, the chapter as a whole and any other questions you might have in the comments or reviews section. Be sure to stop in next time as our heroes begin the next semester at U.A.. 'Til then.**


	56. To Be a Contender

**To Be a Contender**

U.A.: Second Semester Orientation

Everyone else in Class 1A had been understandably surprised upon hearing that Midoriya and Bakugou had duked it out. 'Are you guys stupid?' had been the leading question asked while their now under house arrest classmates had explained the situation. Clay had also been questioned about having to stay after class, to which he'd simply replied that he happened to be up at the time but didn't think to report them until it was too late. Though he did reveal the real reason to Slade when the two of them were out of earshot.

But thanks to their house arrest, neither Midoriya nor Bakugou were allowed to go to the orientation. Though in Clay's opinion, they were lucky in that they didn't have to listen to Iida directing. "Everyone keep in line and move promptly to the school grounds," said Iida as he waved his hands like a traffic cop.

"Dude, you're the only person not in line," Sero pointed out as he passed by, causing Iida to freeze up and start muttering about the dilemma of being class rep. But whatever fun they were having was quickly cut short by the appearance of Monoma, who was leaning against the wall by his arm.

"You know what I heard," said the blond with his trademark douche smirk, "That two people in class 1A actually failed in the provisional license exam!"

"Ah great," said Kaminari as he backed away instinctively, "This guy's crazy as usual."

"And let me guess," said Kirishima with his own smug grin, "You were the only one out of your whole class to fail again. Like you did in the final, right?" For whatever reason, the red head's comment only served to make Monoma begin laughing as his class came walking around the corner.

"Everyone in our class passed!" He declared with his arms wide, "It seems we've pulled ahead of you at long last Class 1A!"

"And we're supposed to care again, why?" Questioned Slade as he scratched the back of his head.

"I'm sorry everyone," said Todoroki suddenly. 'Guess he cares for whatever reason.'

"Hey they're the ones making this a competition," consoled Kirishima, "Don't worry about it."

"Hi Clay," said Pony as she stepped forward with a friendly smile, "Did you know Vlad sensei said we'd be having classes together this semester?"

"Did he now," replied Clay, "I guess that means you won't have to search for me in the halls when you need to learn a new phrase." Pony was about to respond that she was looking forward to it, until Monoma whispered something in her ear.

"So this is the exchange student you mentioned," said Kaminari, "I'm starting to see why you kept it a secret."

"I didn't do it intentionally," said Clay, "I just never thought to mention it, given that most of our exchanges are in the hallways between classes anyway."

"Oh Clay," said Pony, "I'm gonna beat your whole class up so bad your mothers won't recognize you." Kirishima and Kaminari were understandably dumbfounded by this statement, especially given that she was still smiling when she said it, but Clay and Slade actually got a good laugh out of it.

"What's so funny," questioned Pony as she gave them all a confused stare.

"You have no idea what you just said, do you?" Clay stated more than questioned in English.

"Monoma said it was a friendly phrase," replied the American transfer student in her native language.

"Well you basically just threatened us," The cloud user explained, "But it's no problem. Just tell Monoma this." Clay whispered a few phrases of Japanese to the horned girl, who nodded in response before suddenly hiding behind him. The cloud user turned his head in the direction she was looking and saw that Mina and Jirou were suddenly not very enthusiastic.

"I forgot about her," said Jirou with a note of irritation in her voice.

"I guess this semester is gonna be a little more infuriating than I thought," added Mina as the two girls smiled while glaring daggers at Pony, who hid her head even further behind Clay.

"Did something happen at camp between you three," questioned the cloud user with a raised eyebrow as he looked back and forth between them.

"Could we get through back here," said another voice from down the hall as Shinso and a few other students from the support course came walking their way.

"He's right," said Iida, "We need to get moving everyone, so save chitchatting for later." Both class 1A and 1B began moving again, heading towards the door outside.

"That was the guy who took on Midoriya in the sports festival, right?" Questioned Jirou as they stepped outside, "He doesn't look as scrawny as the last time I saw him."

"Probably working out to make sure he's not tossed over someone's shoulder again," Commented Slade, "Brainwashing is a good quirk, but like sensei said you can't be a pro if you only have one trick."

"Speaking of tricks," said Mina, "What did you tell Pony a moment ago?" Clay was going to respond, but the sound of a yelling Monoma answered her question instead.

"I did not have to be saved repeatedly by the whole class!" yelled the copy quirk user, "And I'm not the class pansy-AAAACK!" Once again, Kendo had been kind enough to shut up her rowdy classmate with a chop to the back of the neck.

Outside, all of the classes were gathered in a block formation as their attention was directed towards a large stage. "Hello everyone!" Said Nedzu happily, "It's the small mammal principal you all love with a few announcements! You see, recently my prized fur has deteriorated in quality a bit and it's become difficult for me to take care of it. This is something you can apply to humans as well, as even with a balanced diet of zinc and vitamins, you still need sleep."

'I really hope he gets to the point soon,' thought Slade, 'or I might just catch up on my sleep right here.' "What I'm trying to say is that disturbances in one's lifestyle can be quite deteriorating if you're not careful," the principal said, "In this case, the disturbance to our lifestyles comes from the events at the summer training camp and the recent loss of a great pillar. The effects from that loss have arrived faster than any of us could've imagined and are likely signs of even greater chaos to come in the near future. Those of you in the hero course will be more aware of this than anyone, so you must treat out of school activities with a greater sense of caution and crisis than before, especially when it comes to the hero work studies that the second and third year students normally attend."

"What's he mean by hero work studies?" Questioned Mina as she titled her head in confusion.

"It may be like the next level of the internships we did," suggested Tsuyu with a finger to her chin.

"The air feels heavier lately," continued Nedzu, "especially when we talk about gloomy subjects such as this. The adults around us are working hard to alleviate that heaviness and we'd like you to learn from them as you all work to become capable people. Indeed everyone here in the business course, general studies, support course, and hero course should remember that you are all successors of this society."

"Thank you Principal Nedzu," said Vlad King as he took over the podium. "Now then, we have the non-curricular guidance teacher, Mr. Hound Dog, here with a few warnings." The 1B homeroom teacher then stood aside as a large man with a mane of yellow hair, a dog-shaped snout with a muzzle over it and a brown vest that was very furry began to speak, or rather growl, into the mike.

"Grrr..," snarled the Hound Dog, "Yesterday…Grr…unused to life…rawr…two students….AWOOOO!" 'I didn't understand a $ #ing word of that,' thought Clay as Vlad took the mike back while Hound Dog exited the stage.

"Well let's see," said King, "It seems two students were fighting last night. Now we know you're not used to living life at the dorms yet, but let's try to live a life of moderation."

'Why'd they even bring Mr. Hound Dog up if he couldn't even communicate,' thought Slade with a sigh.

"Does he forget how to speak like a human when he's angry," questioned a nervous Mineta.

"It seems like Midoriya and Bakugou are being treated as problem children," said Momo.

"I'm sure it'll blow over soon," said Slade with a comforting hand on her shoulder as they were all dismissed back to their classrooms.

Class 1A

"Okay everyone," said Aizawa, "starting today we'll be continuing normal classes. A lot of unprecedented events have come our way recently, but you'll need to switch gears and go back to focusing on your studies as students. We may be staying inside the classroom today, but make no mistake, your training will be even harsher this semester."

"Is he not gonna mention it," whispered Mina to Tsuyu before Clay was able to stop her.

"What was that Ashido," said Aizawa with a sinister presence behind his voice, causing the pink girl to shudder in fear.

"Actually she has a question," said Tsuyu as she raised her hand, "could you tell us about the 'hero work studies' mentioned earlier?"

"The principal said it was something many of the upperclassmen are participating in," added Momo.

"I had planned to tell you all about those," said Aizawa as he rubbed his head, "But at a later date. Though now may be a more logical time to inform you all. In simple terms, the work studies are hero activities outside of school, much like the internships from earlier in the year but with a bit more involvement."

"Wait," said Uraraka as the gears ground in her head, "IF WE HAD THAT THEN WHY DID WE WORK SO HARD AT THE SPORTS FESTIVAL?!"

"She has a point," said Iida, "If we have work studies then even those who didn't get scouted at the festival would still have an open path."

"The reason is that the work studies use the scouting from the sports festival as connections," explained Aizawa, "It's not part of the class but rather an activity undertaken by the student at their own discretion. So those who didn't get a lot of offers at the sports festival will have a difficult time lining up a work study to begin with. Originally, agencies recruited on their own, but a number of complications arose when trying to get U.A. students to join, leading to the situation we have now. Do you understand?"

"Yes I do," said Uraraka with a bow of her head, "I'm sorry for jumping to conclusions." The gravity girl then sat back down in her seat as their homeroom teacher continued his explanation.

"Now that you've obtained your provisional licenses," said Aizawa, "you can provide more assistance and for longer periods. There haven't been many cases where first years receive their provisional licenses, but with the increase in villain activity we're seriously considering your participation. For now, you'll all learn more about this and get further details on what the work studies are like at a later date. In the meantime, sorry to keep you waiting Mic."

The classroom door slid open then as Present Mike stepped in. "FIRST PERIOD IS ENGLISH! In other words time for the man with a mike to stand on stage!" 'Yep, back to school,' thought much of the class with a sigh as first period began.

U.A. Heights Alliance: Late Afternoon

"Hey Bakugou, it looks like you missed a spot," pointed out Mineta as he and Sero wiped some dust off one of the windowsill.

"That window was Midoriya's job!" exclaimed Bakugou, "So quit messing around! And Deku, can't you even cleanup properly?!"

"S-sorry," apologized the green-haired student as everyone, save for Clay, entered the common area. "Oh guys, just put the trash from your rooms in the hall and I'll take it out." No one replied to his statement as they started discussing the classes for the day as well as the subject of work studies. 'In one day I feel like I'm falling way behind,' thought Midoriya with a bit of a dejectedness.

"Don't think everyone's trying to be heartless," said Slade as he walked up, "Truth is some of us are a bit upset by the circumstances."

"Indeed we are," confirmed Iida, "but that is the consequences of being put under house arrest."

"Uh, by the way, what are the work studies everyone's talking about?" Questioned Midoriya.

"Afraid we can't say right now," answered Slade, "Aizawa forbid us from telling you guys anything about classes until the house arrest is up."

"So the both of you will have to fully experience the pain of house arrest to insure you've learned your lesson," said Iida, "That goes for you as well Bakugou."

"Shut up! I know already you damn four eyes!" The ash blond yelled back. 'Well at least we don't have to put up with him in class for another couple of days,' thought Slade with a feeling of slight relief.

Class 1A: Three Days Later

Not a whole lot happened over the next three days, save for Midoriya apparently seeing some blond guy's face popping out of the wall and the ground by the dumpster. But now that he'd turned in his written apology and had his house arrest lifted, he was finally back in the classroom. "I'm sorry for causing trouble!" exclaimed the now returned student with more force than Clay ever thought he was capable of.

"Thanks for all your hard work in the dorms Deku," said Uraraka, happy to have her friend back in class with everyone.

"Is it me or does he actually look angry for once," noted Jirou with a hint of concern.

"He's been incredibly concerned about falling behind in class," explained Clay, "this is probably one of the few times I've actually seen him even slightly angry over something."

"I'm sorry for disappointing you Iida," Midoriya said, apparently intent on apologizing to everyone.

"O-of course," said Iida, confused as to why he was getting an apology, "at least you know what you did wrong."

"The way Clay tells it he didn't do anything wrong," said Slade, "Bakugou gave him no choice but to fight. But that's not what's got you so worked up is it Midoriya?"

"I'm going to catch up on everything I've missed over the last three days!" declared the One for All holder with his fist clenched in determination.

"That's the spirit!" cheered Kirishima, a little caught up in the moment. A moment which was quickly ruined with the arrival of Aizawa, who promptly ordered everyone to their seats.

"Morning everyone," said Aizawa, "now that Midoriya's house arrest is up, we can go into more detail about the work studies. It'll be best if you hear about them from people who have firsthand experience, please come in." The door slid open then as a trio of third year students walked into the room. "These three third years stand at the top of U.A., you may know them by another title, the big three."

"Ah #$%," muttered Clay under his breath. He'd heard a number of rumors about these students. Some of them obviously weren't true, but while he was doing his two days of after school help in the staff areas, he happened to look into them a little. The three of them were a bit on the weird side, but their power and skill was undeniable.

"It's the big three!" cheered Mina, apparently having heard some of the rumors herself.

"The ones among us who are the closest to becoming pro heroes," added Momo. Everyone else was in one degree of awe or another. 'Yeah now they are,' thought the cloud user, 'none of them stood out all that much at first, but they've been making quite a name for themselves recently. Just what the heck kind of people are they?' He would soon find out as Aizawa asked the big three to introduce themselves.

The first one was a student named Amajiki who sported dark hair that covered his left eye while also spiking out everywhere at the back. Also, if Clay wasn't mistaken, his ears were a bit pointed as well. But what really got everyone's attention was the sudden intense stare he was giving the entire class. "It's not working," he said suddenly and surprisingly quietly, "Even if I imagine them all as potatoes, only their heads change. The rest of their bodies still look human, so I still see them as human. What should I do….I can't say….a word….my mind's blank….can I just go home now?"

'Wait a sec,' thought Slade as he took a closer look, noticing how much the third year student was shaking, 'does this guy have stage fright?' Amajiki then turned towards the wall, apparently too afraid to even look out over the class anymore. "Um, you are one of the top three, right," Ojiro finally asked.

"Oh Amajiki," said the blue-haired girl of the trio, "You're acting like you have the heart of a flea again. It's so strange considering you're human." The girl then turned back towards them, her more than waist-length blue hair flowing as she did so. "The flea here is called Tamaki Amajiki and I am Nejire Hado. We were asked to come here today to talk to you all about work studies. But one question first, why are you wearing that mask?" Her question was directed at Shoji.

The dupli-arms student attempted to answer, but before he could, Nejire caught sight of Todoroki. "Oh and you're Todoroki aren't you? How did you get that burn? Ashido, can your horns regrow if they're broken off?" She continued to ask nearly half the students a random question before moving onto the next student without hearing the answer. "There's so many things I want to know about you all, it's so strange! Are those balls your hair?"

"She's got the whole airhead routine down pat," commented Kaminari, "It's kind of cute."

"She's like a curious kindergartner," added Mina with a bit of a confused smile.

"She asked me about my balls, that's sexual harassment," said a drooling Mineta. 'You wish,' thought most of the class.

"This is lacking a bit of rationality, don't you think," said Aizawa with a look of annoyance.

"Oh, don't worry Eraser sensei," said the final student whose name was apparently Mirio. He had short blond hair which stood up on top of his head and stuck out on the back of his neck. He was also taller than Iida and even more heavily built. "I'm going last so that I can wrap things up." He turned to the class with a hand to his ear, "The future is gonna be-?" Silence was his answer as no one really had any idea how to respond to his question.

"Grim," said Mirio, "It's supposed to be grim. Alright, call and response was a total failure!" For whatever reason he was laughing it off like it had been successful. 'I know greatness sometimes comes in weird packages,' thought Clay, 'but what is up with these guys?' "Well you all look like you've got no idea what's going on, what with us third years suddenly appearing to talk about work studies which aren't even required. I understand, it's confusing."

'Because you're making it confusing,' Slade almost blurted out as he sat with his chin in his hand. "Let's see, you guys got your provisional licenses as first years, which means you're all probably pretty energetic," surmised the student, "Not to mention, it looks like my jokes aren't working either. So why don't you all fight me at once!"

"W…WHAAAAAAAT!" exclaimed the entirety of the class at this sudden declaration.

"It's most rational for you all to experience our experience firsthand, right," said Mirio as more of a question than a fact. "How about it Eraser?"

"Do what you want," Aizawa said after a moment, looking as indifferent as ever.

Gym Gamma

"So…you're serious about this?" Said Sero, voicing the question that was on everyone else's minds as they stood in their gym clothes in front of the big three's apparent leader.

"Totally and completely serious," replied Mirio as he was doing basic warm up stretches.

"Mirio, you're going overboard," said Amajiki who was all the way over pressing his forehead against the wall, "It would've been fine if we just said 'this is what is it was like' and 'I learned so much doing this.' Not everyone has the same level of ambition as you, and we can't end up with kids who can't recover afterwards."

"What does he mean by that?" Questioned Kirishima with a raised eyebrow.

"Well for example," said Nejire, who was pushing Mina's horns back and forth, "There was a student in the past who got so frustrated with everything, he quit, which wound up causing all sorts of problems. It really is tough isn't it Togata? This'll be tough too if you don't think it through properly."

"Please stop," said Mina, somewhat feebly. Clay decided enough was enough as he pushed the blue-haired girl's hand away.

"We all need to focus here," said Clay, "Would you mind moving to the side."

"Oh I would," said Nejire with a smile as she put her hands behind her back, "But I've got one more question I need answered. How well can you really fly on those clouds?"

"I can answer that later-hey," the cloud user was interrupted by Nejire's surprisingly strong grip on his arm.

"I mean I want to see firsthand," she explained, "And it's no fair that Mirio gets to have all the fun. So right this way please." The girl began dragging Clay along to the other side of the gym, which had had a number of pillars set up, obstructing their view of the rest of the class. "Alright, this should do." She let go then before marching a good fifty feet away.

"So what is it you want here?" Questioned Clay as he glanced at the numerous pillars around them, "If you want me to give a flying demonstration, outside would be better suited for it."

"Silly, I didn't drag you over here just to watch you fly," she said with an innocent smile, "It's strange, but I want to fight you one on one. I've been wondering about my maneuverability recently."

"Huh, so my senior is asking me for a bit of help," said Clay as he produced a mass of clouds behind him as well as his gauntlets and boots, "Alright then, but since you're the best of the best, it means I can cut loose a bit."

"Come at me however you'd like," she said, still retaining her smile as she took a stance of her own. The cloud user struck first, sending out his cloud mass with a number of blunt weapons forming on the ends. He maneuvered several other tendrils around the pillars, also sporting blunt objects to attack his opponent from the sides and back while he took to the air. 'Only one way out, let's see what you can do.'

A sudden blast caused Clay to pause for a moment as the blue-haired girl released some kind of energy that completely destroyed all of the weapons he'd created while also propelling her into the air. 'She attacks with energy waves!' the cloud user thought with a good bit of surprise before directing his remaining ground clouds to shoot up after his opponent. "You'll have to do better than that," she sang before spinning in the air and releasing another energy wave that dissipated his remaining clouds.

Then she shot through the air with another attack charging in her right hand. 'She's generating energy from her feet and hands to fly!' Clay realized as he instinctively dropped to avoid her up close attack. But it turned out to be a feint as she fired an energy wave from her left hand, grazing her opponent who just barely managed to roll out of the way in time. He attempted to counter by firing cloud vines out of the knuckles of his cloud gauntlet, only for them to be dissolved by a wave of her energized hand.

"You're pretty smart to keep your distance against an unknown enemy," sang Nejire with her same smile as she floated around in the air, "But my wave motion isn't just a close to midrange quirk." She illustrated her point by firing a wave out of both hands, which Clay again barely managed to avoid by producing a large cloud cover before escaping down into the pillars. 'I can't beat her in a straight up quirk brawl, I'll need to outmaneuver her.' "Going somewhere," he heard as he looked down to see Nejire was already standing on one of the pillars. 'Oh crap.'

Other Side of Gym Gamma: About the Same Time

'What in the world's going on here,' thought Slade as he looked at his downed classmates. Half of 1A had been taken down in hardly a minute by Mirio's speed and strength. He'd revealed his quirk gave him the ability to phase through any solid matter, at the cost of losing his clothes, allowing him to slip in and out of the ground wherever he pleased. This also meant he couldn't be hit until he became solid as well.

His strategy, while simple, had also proven effective as he started at the back of the class and began popping in and out of the ground like a super powered mole, aiming first for anyone with a ranged attack quirk. He'd been able to down them all with one punch before popping back to the front of the class. "The only ones remaining are the ones who focus on close combat, right?" Questioned Mirio as he stood shirtless before them with a smile on his face.

"What do we do," said Uraraka, "He can phase and he can warp. He's practically untouchable."

"Doesn't that make him, like, unrivaled or something like that," questioned Ojiro.

"Not quite," said Midoriya, "He's going for us directly, which means we might have a chance if we focus on counterattacking."

"When he's able to touch us," added Slade, "That's when we'll be able to touch him."

"Right," the remainder of the class replied as they resumed their fighting stances.

"Oh, you think you've figured it out," said Mirio as he began running towards them, "Let's see what you've got then." Everyone tensed as their opponent rushed towards them, and slipped into the ground. 'Here he comes,' was the collective thought. Midoriya moved proactively then as he lashed out with a kick behind him.

At the same time, Mirio emerged from the ground with a look of surprise on his face. But it quickly returned to his usual smile as Izuku's leg passed through his arm. "Good, but try an ultimate move now, Blinder Touch Eyeball Crush!" Midoriya attempted to move his head out of the way, but was still blinded as Mirio's hand phased through his head.

The top student then twisted in the air as he slammed his fist into Izuku's midsection, taking him out of the fight. "Midoriya!" yelled Kirishima as Mirio sunk back into the ground. No one else was able to follow his movements as he took the remaining students down, each with a single gut punch before slipping back into the ground to set up for the next strike. He used the same strategy when he got to Slade, but encountered something different this time.

The density shifter actually managed to turn around in time and knock Mirio's strike away before countering with his own punch. The top student instinctively phased, and was actually surprised when Slade's blow connected. "Unlimited POWER!" yelled Slade as he rained a number of high speed blows against Mirio, moving at the fastest speed he'd ever gone before finally slamming a powerful uppercut into his opponent's jaw, causing him to stumble away several feet.

"Wow," said Mirio as he rubbed his chin, "It's been a long time since someone managed to get a combo like that on me. How did you do that?"

"It looks like you forgot that I've got a secret move," explained Slade as he shook his fists out, noting how durable his opponent was. "Remember I'm a density shifter as well. I can lower my density to the point that my molecules drift apart slightly, allowing me to pass through solid objects for a very short time. It also allows me to move at high speed because I'm no longer facing air resistance, though you probably just figured that out."

"Oh right, you did that in the sports festival," said Mirio as he rubbed his head, "I gotta ask, how do you keep your clothes on when you do that?"

"Well my quirk isn't as internal as one might think," explained Slade, "you see I actually bring in particles from all around me and convert them into a layer of varying density. When I lower my density, I expel particles to the point where my own body and any particles touching my skin, clothes namely, also become unstable."

"You're lucky," said Mirio, "You don't have to worry about whether or not someone sees your willy."

"About that," said Slade as he tossed the top student his gym pants, "I got a slight proposition for you. Since I've shown you my trump card, you'll easily be able to counter me if you attack again, so how about this. I've gone ahead and matched my density to yours so this fight will be a bit more even, so what say we just slug it out from this point on, no more quirks." The density shifter tossed off his gym top so that the both of them were shirtless.

"Now that is interesting," said Mirio with a hand on his chin, "I suppose it will decrease the chances of your class seeing something they shouldn't, so why not." A sudden explosion interrupted both of them as a screaming Clay came flying over the wall of pillars, just managing to soften his landing with some small clouds.

"Ow," said the cloud wielder as he staggered to his feet while rubbing his head. "How are we doing?"

"Just you and me left," replied Slade as he cocked a thumb to the rest of their incapacitated classmates.

"Seriously, what happened over here guys?" Questioned Clay as Nejire came flying over the wall as well and landed next to Mirio.

"He's strong and he can phase," explained Slade, "What about you? I've heard a lot of explosions over there."

"She shoots energy waves," replied Clay, "My clouds can't stand up to them and every time I tried getting behind her from the pillars, there she is waiting for me. I think this is the first time I've ever been out-flown by anyone."

"Well I just challenged Mirio to straight up hand to hand," said Slade, "You wanna do the same with Nejire?"

"How about just low quirk use," said Clay as he reformed his cloud gear, "That good with you Nejire?"

"Of course," she replied with a smile, "Though we should probably wrap this up, class will be ending soon." All the participants nodded in agreement as they launched forward for one final clash. Slade threw punch after punch, each one failing to connect as Mirio either blocked or dodged around it. Clay had a similar issue as he kept switching between hand to hand attacks and cloud weapon attacks, all of which either failed to connect due to Nejire's elegant dodging or were simply destroyed by a short burst of her wave quirk.

"Now, finishing move!" declared Mirio as he and Nejire managed to slip in under their opponent's guards, "POWER!" Slade was dealt a mind numbing punch to his gut while Clay was hit with a blast of wave energy which sent him flying back, too disoriented to even move anymore. With the fall of these two, Class 1A was now totally defeated.

It took a bit of time for everyone to get back on their feet. By that point, Mirio had managed to get his shirt back on and was standing with the rest of the big three. "I tried my best to make sure no one saw my willy, but I'd still like to say I'm sorry to the girls," said Mirio, "Though you should all get it a bit better now, right?"

"I get that we all just got punched in the stomach," groaned Midoriya as he and everyone else were holding onto their guts in pain.

"Did you think my quirk was pretty strong?" Questioned Mirio with a smile.

"More like too strong!" complained Sero and Hagakure.

"You can slip through stuff and you can warp," exclaimed Mina, "Are you some kind of hybrid like Todoroki?"

"Nope," replied the top student, "I got just the phasing quirk."

"He calls it permeation!" said Nejire happily, like she was playing a guessing game.

"Hey, it's Mirio's turn right now," said Amajiki with his head still against the wall. Nejire pouted as she stood back.

"That's right," confirmed Mirio, "My quirk is permeation and my warping ability is just part of it."

"How can you warp," questioned Midoriya, going into notetaking mode. Clay wondered where he was keeping the notebook.

"Well as you've all seen, I can phase through everything, even the ground," explained the blond, "and when I deactivate my quirk while I'm falling, something odd happens."

"You get repelled," interrupted Slade, "Because two different masses can't occupy the same space or overlap."

"That's right," affirmed Mirio, "I get shot right back out, hence my warp-like ability. By changing my angle or position, I can aim for where I want to go out."

"It sounds a lot like a buggy game to me," commented Ashido, which Mirio heartily agreed with.

"So you can move where you like and avoid all attacks," said Tsuyu, "It is a strong quirk."

"It's only strong because I made it into something strong," countered the top student. "You see, since everything passes through me while I fall, I can't see, hear, or even breathe. It's like being in a dark world of nothingness. When it comes to just going through a wall, I have to keep one leg solid while I step through, then solidify the other leg before pulling the rest of me through. Even for something that simple, a lot of steps are required."

"I'd mess that up fast if I was in a hurry," commented Kaminari.

"Indeed," said Mirio, "I was always behind because of the drawbacks of my quirk, dead last in fact. In order to get to where I am now, I had to learn predictions! I had to be three steps ahead and get tricky when it was necessary. I had to think faster than those around me, and what made it possible for me to use predictions was experience! Building my predictions on everything I knew and learned. I wanted to show you all this same experience by fighting you."

"In our work studies, we're more than just guests, we're treated as sidekicks and even pros, which is sometimes terrifying! Pros will wind up watching people die on some occasions. But those scary and painful experiences are something you won't be able to get at school! I transformed my own experience into power during my work study and was able to take the top spot! That's why I think it's something you should all do, even if you're first years!"

Whether it was appropriate or not, everyone began applauding Mirio's speech to one degree or another. But one thing that did dawn on everyone, the dangers faced at their work studies would be nothing like the internships. They would all be treated like pros now, and they needed to get that mindset straight as soon as possible. Class 1A had come far in their first semester, but so much more was to come as the heroes in training would soon face the realities of the world beyond the walls of U.A., a world which was quickly becoming saturated with a new generation of villains. The second semester of U.A. was truly underway now.

End of Volume 1

 **And that is a wrap. Seasons one through three of my hero academia have come to a close and with it, this volume. For those of you who haven't heard, this is where I'll be stopping this particular story until season four comes out. What I may not have mentioned is that season four onward shall be posted as a new story: Hailstorm Volume 2 (still working on the title). The adventures of Clay and Slade shall continue as they proceed down their path to becoming heroes with the rest of class 1A. In the meantime, feel free to leave a comment or review about what you liked/disliked about this chapter or the story as a whole, or even any neat ideas you might have for the next volume.**

 **For those of you looking to fill the gap between now and the start of the next volume, fear not. I've recently begun my latest fanfiction: Armory of the Forgotten Hero, which I shall be posting weekly. Be sure to check it out and any other stories I might be posting further on down the line. See y'all at volume four.**


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